Change Of Heart
by Ember LeClaire
Summary: When Myra is forced to move to Domino city, she feels alone and alienated from her new classmates. But after meeting her neighbor, Ryou, she begins to form a bond with the quiet natured boy. Though she soon learns that not everyone is who they seem.
1. News

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my character Myra.**

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**The night was cold and wet as Myra ran down the street that would lead her home. The rain pelted her relentlessly, almost as if it was punishing her for running late and missing her curfew.

_Damn,_ she swore mentally, _Mom is going to murder me for being late again._

She rounded a corner, almost slipping as she did so, and saw her house at the end of the street, its bright lights shining through small glass window panes, dimly illuminating the yard around it.

_Yes! Almost there!_ She thought relieved as the house in the distance became closer and closer.

When she finally reached her destination she came skidding to a stop, nearly crashing into her front door as she did so. Instead of throwing open the door in her haste as she normally would, she instead stopped and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She closed her eyes for a moment and let the rain pound against her back and continue to thoroughly soak her.

She wasn't sure why, but all evening she had had an ominous feeling, and was anxious to get home, but now that she was there, she was hesitant to open the door to see what awaited her on the other side.

After taking another deep breath and gathering her nerve, Myra opened her eyes and placed her small hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly.

"Hello," she called timidly, "I'm home." When she received no answer she slipped her wet shoes off at the door and closed it behind her. "Mom, I'm home!" she called again, this time louder. Again, she received no reply.

_Where is she? She has to be home, her car is out front. And there's no way she went for a walk in this weather,_ she thought to herself.

She began to wander the house calling for her mother, and finally found her sitting in the kitchen at the dining table, her head resting in her hands, her expression blank.

"Mom," Myra began, "I was calling for you. Didn't you hear me?" Her mother said nothing; she simply nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Well why didn't you answer me?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips in irritation.

No answer.

"Mom, answer me!" she yelled, slamming her hands down on the table. Her mother didn't even flinch at her outburst, which was something that she normally would have been scolded for. Her mother slowly turned her face to look at her, and that is when Myra noticed the unshed tears in her mother's eyes. "Mom…what's wrong?" she asked, her annoyance suddenly gone.

Her mother stared at her for a moment as if she didn't understand the question, with that dazed look still in her eyes. Finally she answered, "Your father."

"What about Dad?" Myra questioned, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her mother. She waited patiently for her mother to answer.

"He's…he's leaving us," she answered, the tears now falling freely from her eyes.

Myra sat, dumbstruck, for a moment before saying, "I don't understand."

Her mother let out a long sigh before explaining. "He's leaving us. He wants a divorce."

Myra sat in silence for a while before simply saying, "Oh." She wasn't very close to her father, and he wasn't around much anyway because of his job. He was the main income for their family, and in order for them to live the lifestyle they did, he often worked overtime in an effort to make a little extra money.

Myra's family wasn't wealthy, they didn't live in luxury, and Myra hadn't grown up a spoiled child. But they did live comfortably; they weren't in debt and always had a little extra money to spend if they wanted to. "Where is he going to go?" she finally asked.

Her mother sighed again before answering, "Well, actually, Myra…he's not going anywhere…we are. He's keeping the house, so we have to move."

"What?" Myra screamed, jumping up from her seat at the table. "We can't move!"

"Well we have to," her mother said, her temper suddenly rearing its head. "Your father's family owns this house; we have no rights to it. We have to leave!"

Myra sat quietly after her mother's outburst. _This must be the reason I had a bad feeling all day,_ she thought and bowed her head. "Where will we go?" she asked quietly.

"Well," her mother began, then after a short pause continued, "I won't be able to support both of us and be able to afford a house at the same time. So I found an apartment to rent in the city."

"The…city?" Myra asked. "Do you mean Domino city?" Her mother nodded. A moment of silence passed between the two women. Finally, Myra asked, "How long do we have before we leave?"

"Two weeks, then we move into the new apartment," her mother answered simply. "I would suggest beginning packing your things as soon as you get the chance."

"Yes, Mom," Myra said, then turned and left, heading for the stairs quietly. As soon as she reached her room she flung herself on her bed and cried silently into her pillow.

_Two weeks,_ she thought to herself sadly,_ two weeks is all I have left here._ This thought only caused her to cry harder, and eventually she cried herself to sleep, exhaustion finally taking over.

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_Author's Note: Alright this is simply the edited version of the first chapter. I broke a few paragraphs up and changed the wording in a few sentances and corrected a few grammar errors._


	2. Leaving Home

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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The next two weeks passed by quickly, and before Myra knew it, it was moving day. Her mother came in and woke her early in the morning, and the two ate breakfast together, their last meal in that house, then they began moving boxes and furniture into the moving van that was parked in their driveway. By the time they were done, Myra noticed that there wasn't much in the van; it was only two thirds of the way full. They were only taking possessions and furniture that belonged to her or her mother, and everything that belonged to them that they couldn't take had been sold the week before. Once the van was locked up, Myra noticed her mother slip the key to the house off her key ring and place it under the door mat.

"Well," she said, glancing at Myra, "everything is packed. Are you ready to go?" Myra nodded silently. She didn't want to go. She had spent all sixteen years of her life in this house, she would miss it. "Get in the van then," she heard her mother say, and she did so obediently.

Myra was silent during the entire ride into the city, as was her mother. She watched as the scenery changed gradually from the familiar countryside that she knew so well to the unfamiliar city.

They were now in Domino City, her new home. Shortly after entering the city Myra found herself staring around in fascination, she had never seen buildings so huge or so many people in one place!

She heard her mother chuckle next to her. "Not as bad as you thought, right?" she asked with a small smile on her face.

"No…it's not so bad…I suppose," Myra answered in a mumbled voice. As they drove deeper and deeper into the city, Myra found herself more and more curious to explore her new surroundings. Not long after passing what appeared to be the local high school, Myra and her mother stopped at a large apartment complex.

"This is it," her mother said and parked the van. "Let's go look at the inside," she said, holding up the key. The apartment was on the ground floor of the building, and Myra followed her mother as she led her down one of the hallways until she stopped in front of a door with the number _4_ on it.

"Here we are," her mother said, putting the key in the lock and turning it. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, "Well, what do you think?" her mother asked. "I did pretty well, huh?" she asked, a grin spreading across her features.

Myra looked around her, taking in the apartment slowly. She had to admit, her mom did do a good job getting this place. It was small, but not uncomfortably so. The living room was a good size, not big but not small, and on one wall there was a sliding glass door that led out into a small patio. Through an arched doorway was a kitchen with an adjoining dining room. The kitchen seemed to lack a little in counter space, but it was nothing they couldn't work around.

Moving on to the back of the apartment, Myra observed that there was only one bathroom. _Oh well_, she thought to herself, _it shouldn't be too much of a problem. _She looked into the two bedrooms at the end of the hall that were placed right across from each other. As far as she could tell they were both roughly the same size, and both had a window on the opposite wall. To her surprise, she actually liked the apartment.

"So? How is it?" her mother asked behind her anxiously.

"It's nice," Myra answered, "I like it," a small smile gracing her features.

Her mother smiled wider in return, glad that her daughter was pleased. "Good. Now let's go get our stuff." Myra nodded and followed her mother outside to the van.

By the end of the day the two women had emptied the van and had most of the large pieces of furniture set up, but most everything that was boxed was still packed. Boxes were stacked high in closets and different rooms, waiting to be opened. "Well I think that's enough for tonight," Myra heard her mother say from across the room.

"I second that," Myra said and flopped down into the loveseat they had just finished bringing in.

"I don't know about you, but I could go for some food," her mother said with a satisfied sigh as she stood and dusted off her hands.

"That sounds great, Mom. I'm starving."

Her mother laughed, "Alright, I'll go get us something then. Do you want anything specific?"

"Nah, surprise me," Myra threw over her shoulder as she heard her mother open the front door and then close it silently behind her after hearing her daughter's answer.

Myra was left alone in the apartment, and suddenly she found herself feeling uneasy. Deciding that maybe her unease would go away if she occupied herself, she pushed herself up from the loveseat and headed into what was now her room. There were boxes stacked in the closet and a few on the floor, and she decided that she would make her bed up so it was ready for her to sleep in that night.

She sorted through her boxes in the closet until she found the one that she was looking for. It was marked _Bed Set_ in black permanent marker. Myra smiled as she opened the box and pulled out one of her sheets. The set was made of black and royal purple satin; the bottom sheets being black, the comforter was purple, and there were two pillowcases, one black and one purple. She loved wrapping herself up in her blankets and taking naps during rainy days, it was one of her favorite things to do. They were her favorite colors and so comfortable, she loved them. After completely making her bed, her mother still wasn't back yet, so she decided that she would unpack her stuff until her mother came home.

After a half hour Myra finally heard the front door open, signaling that her mother was back. She stood from her place on the floor and looked around her new room. She had managed to unpack quite a bit; all her clothes were put away, she had found her school supplies, and had been able to unpack her books onto the tall bookshelf by her bed. She was satisfied with how her room was looking so far and she smiled to herself.

She left her room silently and wandered in to the kitchen to find her mother unpacking a bag that held their sandwiches. "I hope this is enough," she heard her mother say to herself, as she was unaware that Myra even stood behind her.

She suddenly felt a wave of guilt rush over her; they were tight on money, Myra knew it, and instead of offering to help her mother prepare something at home, she had let her mother go out and spend money that they couldn't afford to spend on a few sandwiches.

"Myra!" she heard her mother yell suddenly. Her mother had turned around, she assumed to come find her, and was startled to find her standing so close. "You scared me!"

"Sorry, Mom," Myra apologized. "Let's eat," she said, smiling.

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Myra lie awake that night, thinking of what her mother had told her earlier while they had enjoyed their meal. She sighed as her mother's words ran through her head.

She would be starting school on Monday, and she would be going to that high school that she had seen when they had drove into the city; Domino High. At least it wasn't that far from their apartment, so she would still be able to walk to school, just as she had always enjoyed doing when they had lived in the country.

But that was not what concerned her. What worried her was that her mother had told her that she would have to work two jobs in order to be able to pay the rent, the bills, buy food, and be able to afford anything that either of them needed as well as the things they used daily like toothpaste and toilet paper.

It was an understatement to say that Myra merely felt guilty. She knew that it would be no time until her mother became overworked and stressed, and eventually their relationship would begin to become strained. It was inevitable. She sighed quietly to herself; she knew that she should be getting to sleep, especially if she was going to start school the next day.

She turned over on her bed to lie on her side and face the window that allowed the soft moonlight to shine into her room and dimly illuminate it. With one last final sigh, she allowed herself to drift off into a light sleep.

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_Author's Note: Slightly revised version of chapter two. Just changed some small things and made some corrections. If you see anything that I didn't catch, let me know in a PM or a review! Thank you!_


	3. The First Day

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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When Myra woke the next morning it was to the sound of her mother pounding on her bedroom door. "Myra! Get up! You have school today!" her mother's voice came through the door. "Now!"

Myra let out a heavy sigh before calling, "Alright, alright! I'm up!" When she heard her mother's footsteps receding from her door, she slowly dragged herself from the comfort of her bed and yawned. She nosily made her way into the small bathroom and began her morning routine; showering, brushing her teeth and hair, and then headed back to her room to get dressed. When she was done, Myra looked herself over in the bathroom mirror; it was needless to say she wasn't pleased.

The new school she was attending, Domino High, required its students to wear uniforms. It wasn't the fact that there was a required uniform, it was how the uniforms _looked_ that irritated her. The girls' uniform was a pink button-down blouse and a dark blue skirt that was a little too short for her liking, and to complete it all they were required to wear knee-high socks. She thought the uniform looked horrible, mainly because she detested the color pink.

She glared at her reflection for a few more seconds before leaving the room and grabbing her backpack on her way to the front door. "I'm leaving!" she called behind her as she walked out the door, not waiting for her mother's response. She walked down the hallway that lead to the exit of the apartment building, and when she reached the front door she pushed it open slowly, enjoying the sudden cool breeze that hit her face and she smiled in spite of herself.

But that brief moment of happiness was squashed when she was suddenly almost run down by a passing person who had gone running by. "Hey, watch it!" she yelled after the retreating form. All she could make out of the person's features was a long, white mane of hair. Muttering to herself angrily, she shouldered her backpack and followed in the direction the unknown person had gone running.

The walk to school was short and for the most part enjoyable. Her auburn hair which she had worn down was blowing in the soft breeze, and the morning Sun shone down on her exposed flesh, warming her tanned skin. Her joy was short lived, though, when she saw the school looming a short distance away. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her nerves, and marched forward, determined not to be intimidated by the large building and the hundreds of students milling about in front and around it.

As she approached the building, she realized that she had no idea where she was supposed to go, and stopped dead in her tracks, unsure of what to do. She stood there for a moment, contemplating whether she should go on by herself and try to figure things out on her own, or to ask someone around her. She laughed quietly at herself then. _Since when have I ever been shy?_ she thought, her worries now seeming to be foolish. With that thought her mind was made up.

Myra walked right up to the first person she laid eyes on then, "Excuse me," she said just loud enough for the person before her to hear over the surrounding noise. The person turned quickly to look at her, and suddenly all her self-doubt melted away. The boy that stood in front of her wore the boys' school uniform, a white shirt with a blue jacket worn over it and matching blue pants. He was taller than her by quite a few inches, though he seemed to tower over her. His hair was a sandy blond color, a rather nice color, she thought, and his eyes were a lively chestnut brown.

"Yeah?" he answered. His voice was friendly and reassuring with a very slight accent.

"I'm new here," she began, "and I need to find the office," she paused then and took a small breath. "Could you help me?" she asked, staring directly into his eyes.

"Yeah sure," he answered with a smile, startling Myra with his enthusiasm. "You go in through those double doors over there," he said pointing to a set of doors that looked like what would be the main entrance to the school, "then you go down the main hallway all the way to the end. There will be another set of doors there, go through those and you're there," he finished with the smile still on his face.

That seemed simple enough to remember. "Thank you," Myra said, and then turned to walk away. She only got a few feet away when she heard his voice call out to her from behind.

"Wait!" he called.

Myra stopped and turned back around to face the boy, her eyes finding his once again. "Yes?" she asked wearily.

"What's your name?" he asked, surprising her once again.

She was silent for a moment before answering, "Myra."

"I'm Joey," he told her almost immediately after the words left her mouth. "See ya' around?" he asked, and waited silently for her answer. Myra nodded, unsure of what else to do. "Cool," he said a wink and an almost idiotic grin. Myra turned and left, following the directions that he gave her to the office.

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_I'm glad that's over,_ Myra thought as she exited the office. For reasons that she was unaware of, the simple task of printing out a schedule and school map out for Myra had become an ordeal for the woman who worked in the office. "Idiot," she mumbled to herself, thinking of the scatter-brained woman she had had to deal with. Her thoughts were broken as she heard the sound of warning bell chiming throughout the school hallways. Sighing, Myra looked down at her schedule to find the room number for her first class, and then looked at the map for the corresponding number. Once she located where she was on the map, she began to make her way briskly through the halls in the direction of her first class.

She arrived there shortly before the final bell chimed, signaling the beginning if class. She found the teacher and after he took a brief glance at her schedule to be sure she was in the right class, he directed her to her new seat and said nothing more. It was needless to say that she was relieved; she had been worried that the teacher would make her stand at the front of the room and introduce herself like they did in the movies. The rest of the class passed by without much happening, aside from a few curious glances directed towards her from other students. The rest of the day went by in a similar fashion, nothing exciting or even vaguely interesting happening. That is until she reached her last class.

The beginning of her sixth period class started out the same as the rest, and that's how she had expected it to go for the rest of the period as well. She was mildly surprised when someone approached her seat and leaned casually on her desk. She looked up into the face of the person and locked eyes with them, one eyebrow rising in slight interest.

The person who was looking down at her was attractive; she had to admit, though there was something about him that set her on edge. He wore the same blue uniform that all the boys wore, and he was taller than her like most everyone else was. He had a lean physique, though she didn't doubt that under his sleeves there was at least some muscle. His skin was a similar shade to hers, slightly tanned, which showed that he spent some time outdoors. He had long black hair that was pulled back in a single hair tie, with the exception of a few stray locks of hair that framed his face nicely, though the thing about him that caught her attention was his startling green eyes. While her own eyes were a lovely shade of jade, his were a bright emerald color that sparkled in the light. Overall, he was defiantly good looking.

"I haven't seen you here before. Are you new?" he asked, but before he gave her a chance to answer, he continued, "I'm Duke, Duke Devlin, and what's your name?" He took her hands into his own then and held them. Myra was stunned, she had never been shy, but she had never approached someone so boldly either.

As she was about to answer his question, a new voice cut in, "What are you doing, Devlin? Stop harassing Myra!" She recognized the voice almost immediately, although she had only met the owner of it earlier than day. Joey came up behind Duke, and ripped his hands away from her own, which she was thankful for.

Duke's eyes went slightly wide as he blinked stupidly before asking, "You two know each other?" He pointed his finger first at her, then at Joey, as if he was unsure of what he was hearing.

"Yeah I know her! Man, Devlin, you must be desperate if you're hitting on Myra already, it's only her first day here!" Joey yelled, his dark eyes lighting up with anger. Sure, what Duke had done had been kind of irritating, but she didn't understand why Joey was so angry about it. She could take care of herself without him.

"Joey who are you yelling at?" a new voice asked, and Myra looked up to see not just one new person, but a group of them crowded around her desk. Three boys and a girl had joined the two boys already standing around her desk. The person who had spoken was shockingly short, and she recognized him instantly. He had been in another class of hers earlier in the day, though she couldn't remember which at the moment. Not only was he abnormally short for a high school student, but another thing about him that stood out was his unusual hair; it was tri-colored blond, black, and magenta, and styled in a spiky star shape with his blond bangs framing his face. His skin was paler then hers, and his eyes were a shade of deep purple that she had never seen before. His gaze was innocent and friendly, making him appear almost younger than he really was.

"Don't worry about it Yugi, it's been taken care of," Joey answered moving to stand near Yugi. "Told you I'd be seein' you around," he said now looking at Myra, a wide grin on his face.

"Yeah," she answered, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and leaning on her desk, "you sure did." Though she hadn't thought he was serious. She looked away from him and towards Duke who was now leaning on the desk beside hers, his arms folded across his chest and a look that resembled that of a pouting child on his face. She then turned her gaze onto the rest of the group that was gathered around her desk. She recognized the tall, slender girl who stood behind Yugi, she had been in another class of hers, and the face of the brown-haired boy who stood near Joey was also slightly familiar. The last person she knew she had not seen around school that day, but had met them before. She recognized him solely by the long white mane of hair flowing down his back.

"You!" she yelled, jumping out of her seat and pointing an accusing finger at him. He was startled, to say the least. His mouth was slightly agape and he blinked his chocolate eyes slowly in confusion.

"Me?" he questioned, pointing a finger at himself, as if to confirm what she had said. His voice was soft and polite with a touch of a British accent; the kind of voice that could easily comfort and maybe even lull you to sleep, she thought.

"You almost ran me down this morning!" she shouted and glared at him.

"I did?"

"Yes!" she said, slamming her hand down on the desk.

"I don't recall that happening," he seemed to be thinking, his head cocked to one side, trying to remember the incident.

"Maybe because you were in too much of a rush to notice someone standing in front of you!" she said, now on the verge of shaking from her anger, though she was unsure why. It wasn't that big of a deal, and she didn't know why she was making it one. Perhaps it the a mixture of being under stress and lack of sleep.

He looked down for a moment, then met her gaze again, "I apologize," he said, and she could tell by the remorseful tone in his soft voice that he was sincere. Myra's gaze softened and she dropped her accusing manner as she heard the words leave his mouth.

"Hey!" a new female voice said. "Leave Ryou alone! It was an accident, and he apologized, get over it!" Myra looked to the source of the voice, and met the cerulean gaze of the brunette girl that had been standing behind Yugi.

"It's alright, Teá," Ryou's soft voice cut in, interrupting Teá before the she could shout at Myra any more. He locked eyes with Myra and said, "Is there anything I can do?"

"What?" she asked quizzically. Now she was the one caught off guard.

"Is there anything I can do," he repeated, "to make up for what I did?" he asked, still staring intensely into her eyes.

Well, that was definitely not what she had expected. She thought to herself for a moment before answering, "You live in my complex, right?"

He was silent for a moment, and he looked as if he was slightly uneasy with answering the question. "Yes."

"I just moved in, so to make up for what you did you can show me around. Not just the complex, but some of the city too. Sound fair?" she asked. He visibly relaxed as she said this, and nodded in response.

"When?" he asked, his voice still quiet and polite sounding,

Myra was silent for a moment before answering, "Saturday. I'll meet you at the front of the complex at noon." Again he simply nodded.

It was then the teacher walked in and motioned for silence, and the group around her seat dispersed, taking their own seats for class.

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Myra flung open the front door to her apartment and slammed it shut behind her, no doubt irritating her new neighbors who she hadn't even met yet. The day had gone as she had expected for the most part, except for that small incident at the beginning of her last class of the day. So she had left school in a slightly sour mood, anxious to get home. She had expected at some point to see Ryou walking in the same direction as well, but she hadn't seen him at all after class let out.

Whatever, she didn't care; he wasn't her friend, after all.

She collapsed onto her bed immediately and let out a tired yawn, her limbs suddenly feeling very heavy and her eyelids closing of their own accord. She succumbed willingly to the enticing idea of sleep, and allowed herself to slip into a deep slumber.

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_Author's Note: So this is the updated chapter three. Let me know if you find any mistakes that I missed =)_


	4. Saturday

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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The rest of the week passed in a similar fashion to that of Myra's first day. Her classes weren't too difficult, but they did require her full attention during her class hours, lest she fall behind.

Nothing much changed in her relationships with the small group of people she had met earlier in the week, either. Teá was still cold towards her, glaring and seemingly trying to keep the rest of her friends away from her, though she had no idea why. Tristan, who she had later learned was the boy with the brown hair that was styled into one large spike on the front of his head, wasn't as cold to her as Teá was. He didn't go out of his way to be mean to her, like Teá, but he also didn't go out of his way to be kind to her either. Yugi spoke to her on occasion in class or when they passed in the halls, and even though he was friendly when they did speak to each other, he was still far from what she would consider a friend. Duke, on the other hand, was still overly friendly and attempting to flirt with her, at least when Joey wasn't around to see it. In fact, Joey was the only one who seemed to be making an attempt to befriend her, despite Teá's efforts to try and distance the group from her. The only member of the group that seemed to be absent a good deal of the time was the soft-spoken Ryou. She hadn't seen him most of the week after their little confrontation, except for the occasional glimpse of him in her sixth period class on the days where he decided to show up.

Myra sighed as she ran her brush through her long, shining hair. It was Saturday, the day she had pretty much forced Ryou to show her around, since even though after a week she still didn't know her way around, except how to get from her home to the high school. She glanced at the clock; it was nearly noon, almost time to meet Ryou. She stood from her seat on her bed and made her way into the bathroom. She observed her reflection in the bathroom mirror, and smiled slightly to herself.

She was glad to not have to wear that ugly school uniform that she had been forced to wear as of late. She was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a black pull-over hoddie; her usual apparel. She was finally comfortable for the first time throughout the week, she felt most like herself; relaxed and confident.

She put her shoes on quickly and grabbed the house key her mother had given her and headed for the front door. She stopped at the door to tell her mother where she was going, and then realized that she was there alone in the apartment. It was something that she still wasn't used to; her mother being gone all the time working. She stopped in the doorway for a moment with the door wide open into the hallway, and then walked out and locked the door and closed it behind her. She walked down the hallway silently, lost in her own thoughts of how her life was going to be now that she was pretty much on her own since her mother was now working most of the time.

She looked up shortly before reaching the front doors of the building and saw the slim figure of Ryou standing by the doors. He was leaning casually against a wall and gazing out a nearby window in an almost dreamlike state. Myra stood frozen for a moment and observed him silently, taking in his expression and his features.

His figure was slender and seemed almost feminine, dressed in a casual pair of jeans and shirt. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his long white tresses were loose and flowing down his back. His chocolate eyes were turned towards the sky outside, and the sunlight shined through the window in such a way that it made his pale skin glow almost blindingly.

It was then that he noticed her standing there staring at him. "Myra," she heard his soft voice call to her as he waved. She realized that she had been caught staring and looked quickly away, embarrassed. He approached her and said, "So, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," she answered with a small smile, trying to seem even a little excited for what was ahead. "Let's go, I'm tired of standing around in this place," she said, motioning to the front lobby of the building they stood in. He nodded in agreement and led her away, although not out the front doors that they had been standing by like she had expected. Instead, he began leading her back down the hallway in the opposite direction. "Um, Ryou, aren't we going the wrong way? The exit is over there," she said pointing back towards the doors.

"No," he said, "not quite. You said you wanted to see some of the complex too, right?"

"Yeah," she answered dumbly.

'Well I'm going to show you," he said as the finally reached another set of doors at the other end of the hallway. He pushed them open slowly and led her outside. Myra's mouth dropped open at the sights she saw before her. It turns out that the building that she lived in wasn't the only one in the complex, but there were many. They were built so that they formed what seemed to be a square on the inside, almost like a courtyard and the buildings were its surrounding walls. There was a large lawn of freshly-cut green grass as well as some trees and bushes, and a row of tennis courts lined the other side of the area. Lastly there was a large pool placed almost right in the center of everything, and winding around it were narrow pathways that led to the tennis courts and to the other buildings.

"Wow," she said, dumbstruck. She had never imagined that her complex was so huge; she probably would never have found this area on her own since she had no reason to go in this direction. Overall the place was somewhere she could see herself coming often on nice days, especially into the pool.

"Alright, one more thing before we go into the city," Ryou said behind her. She nodded and turned to follow him obediently. He led her back into the halls and over to the elevators and hit the button that would bring the lift down to their floor. After a few moments of awkward silence, the doors finally opened and they stepped into the small elevator and shut the doors. Ryou reached over and hit a button on the keypad that said _roof_.

Suddenly the elevator lurched and began its ascent. Myra felt the inevitable wave of nausea and lightheadedness that was expected whenever she rode on an elevator. She really did hate them; personally she preferred the stairs, besides it was good exercise. She lifted a delicate hand to her forehead in a vain effort to try to still her spinning head, but the feeling only intensified, and she was forced to grab hold of one of the rails and lean against the closest wall to her in order to keep her balance.

"Something wrong?" she heard Ryou's polite voice say close to her.

She nodded once before saying, "Elevators make me sick. Can we take the stairs on the way down please?

"Of course," he answered, his eyes slightly widening. "You should have said something before we got on, I would have been fine taking the stairs up. I'm sorry, Myra."

"No, there's nothing to apologize for, you didn't know," she said throwing a small smile in his direction to show that she really wasn't angry with him for choosing to take the lift. Finally the elevator stopped and opened its doors, and Myra practically threw herself out of it and into the hallway. She looked around and noticed that the floor that they were on wasn't one that people lived on. There were no apartments here, only what looked to be a few storage closets and another flight of stairs that headed up. She glanced at Ryou quizzically, "What are we doing here?"

He laughed quietly to himself before pointing to the stairs that led upwards. "What I want to show you is up there," he said and turned away, heading for the stairs. She followed him once again, although now she was beginning to grow slightly suspicious of where he was taking her. When they reached the landing there was nothing there save for a single door, which Ryou proceeded to open.

Bright light shone in through the doorway, momentarily blinding her, but as her eyes adjusted to the harsh light, Myra saw that the doorway led out onto the roof. Ryou was already outside, leaning against the high chain-link fence that surrounded the perimeter of the roof. She stepped out into the warm Sun eagerly and turned her face up to face the light, allowing the warmth of the Sun to heat her skin.

"Wow," she started, coming up beside Ryou to lean against the fence, "this is amazing." She gripped the fence, curling her fingers around the chain-link in an effort to feel secure as she looked down towards the Earth below. She could see far out into the surrounding city from this vantage point. The people and cars down below looked like insects that could be easily crushed if she wished to. She snuck a glace in Ryou's direction and found him gazing out towards the city as well, though not in amazement, but more as if he seemed lost in his own thoughts. She noticed that his eyes seemed darker than they did before, as if whatever was going on in his mind was troubling him. "Something on your mind?" she asked boldly.

He seemed startled by the sound of her voice. "Pardon?"

"You look troubled. Is there something bothering you?" she asked, meeting his chocolate gaze.

She watched as his eyes widened slightly as he realized what she was saying. "No, no of course not!" he said as he tried to relax his posture in an attempt to reassure her.

She let out a sigh before saying, "I'm sorry, you don't have to do this." She looked away then, casting her gaze downwards in frustration. She felt guilty for making Ryou do this, but at the same time she found herself actually enjoying his company. She didn't want him to hate her so soon, like Teá seemed to do, so if he didn't want to be here with her, then she wouldn't force him.

His head tilted to the side in a manner that reminded Myra of puppy, and she couldn't help but try not to giggle. "Do what?" he asked.

"You don't have to show me around today or anything that we agreed on earlier. I'm sorry, it's wrong of me to try and make you do this if you don't want to," she answered. She met his gaze then, and was surprised to see him staring at her intently, and then a small smile brake out across his pale features.

"Why, whatever gave you the idea I don't want to be here?"

"I can see it," she started, "you seem to be getting caught up in your own thoughts. Something's on your mind, and I'm sure you'd rather be taking care of whatever it is rather than having to tow me through the city," she finished and lowered her head slightly, her gaze now resting on the ground beneath them.

A tense moment passed before Myra felt a soft hand beneath her chin, its soft fingers gripping her chin lightly and pulling her face up slightly. Her startled green eyes met Ryou's brown ones in a shy stare. "You're wrong," he said simply. "While it's true that I have things on my mind, like all people do, I have actually been looking forward to this day all week," he admitted almost shyly.

"You have?" Myra asked, surprised. He nodded silently.

"You see," he said, releasing her chin and grabbing her arm, carefully pulling her to the ground so that they were both sitting down, "I'm not really close to the others, if you haven't noticed."

"The others?" she asked before saying, "Oh, you mean Yugi and Teá and the others? But I thought you were their friend?"

"I am," he answered, "but I'm not close to them like they are to each other. I never have been."

Myra considered this for a moment before asking, "Why? Because of Teá? Does she try to keep them away from you like she does me? And why does she do that, anyway?"

He was silent beside her for a few moments, as if considering his answer. "She does that because she's scared. She and Yugi, Joey, and Tristan are all very close, and she feels threatened by you."

"Threatened?" Myra laughed, "Why should she feel threatened by me?"

Again he was silent for a few seconds before answering, "She fears that you will draw her friends away from her. After Joey defended you and began to be genuinely kind to you, she began to worry. To her, things are perfect the way they are now, she is afraid of change. She believes that if you begin to grow closer to her friends that somehow the relationship she has with them is going to change, so she is trying to prevent that from happening. She doesn't realize that letting you in doesn't have to be a bad thing, but a good change that can bring them all closer to each other."

Myra was stunned for multiple reasons. The first was that she had never heard Ryou speak so much all at once, in the whole week that she had known him he had been quiet and withdrawn. He would converse with the others on occasion, and she had seen him laugh a few times when with them, but it had never seemed real to her. She had always sensed something sad behind his polite smile, and on more than one occasion wondered what it could be. The second reason that she was surprised was the reasoning behind Teá's attitude and actions.

"I see," she said quietly. "So why aren't you included in that close group?"

He sighed lightly in response before answering, "I was, once."

"What happened?" she asked, hesitantly.

He laughed humorlessly, "Let's just say that I blew my chances, but perhaps it was for the best."

"Aren't you lonely though?" she blurted out, the slapped a hand over her mouth in surprise at her rude question.

Again he smiled that sad, mysterious smile. "No, I am never really alone." She looked at him quizzically, wondering exactly what he meant in his cryptic statement. He looked over at her then and said, "That's all in the past now. I understand that I'll never really be included in their group, and I've come to terms with it. What is important now, though, is that I don't mess up my chance with you." He smiled at her then, and it seemed to be a kind, genuine smile, although a bit shy. "I would like to become friends with you, if I haven't already messed that chance up too."

Myra found herself smiling widely at his words. "Of course you haven't!" she said happily. She was relieved, for she knew that she would never really be close to any of her peers in that small group that she had met on her first day. At most they may be acquaintances, unless Teá decided to lighten up, which didn't seem likely, but with Ryou, whom she still had only just met a week ago though had hardly seen, seemed to be sincere about his offer of friendship, and for that she was grateful. "Come on," she said, jumping up and grabbing Ryou's arm to pull him up, "let's not sit around here anymore, show me the city!"

He was confused at first at her sudden outburst, but soon found himself wanting the same thing; to show Myra around the city, like he had promised, but he also wanted to just have a good time with her, to get to know her better. "Yes, let's go," he said with a smile. He led her off the room and out into the city streets. "What would you like to see first?"

A sheepish grin graced her features, "Well I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. How about some lunch? I'll buy." He laughed lightly and agreed, thinking food did sound good right about then. He showed her some of the restaurants nearby and let her choose. When she saw the café that also served lunch and dinner type dishes, her eyes lit up and she practically dragged him in. They both enjoyed a light meal consisting of pasta along with some sweets that Myra had ordered on the side, choosing that moment to admit to him her love of sweets.

After eating he showed her the gaming shops, the local parks, the mall and other stores, and finally some of the spots where teenagers hung out to relax and be with friends. "There's so much more to the city that I can't show you today, we would need a car to get there, and I'm afraid I don't have one," he said scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"That's alright," she said smiling up at him. "It's getting dark anyway, I should probably head home," she admitted. It was then that Ryou looked up; he hadn't noticed the darkening sky above them, and was surprised to see that the Sun was already beginning to set. He nodded and began to lead her home. The walk back to the complex was quiet but comfortable, and Ryou found himself to be content for the first time in ages. When they arrived at their building, he allowed Myra to lead him to her door.

When they stopped at the door marked with the number _4_, Ryou let out a small laugh. "Is this your apartment?"

"Yeah," she answered while putting her key in the lock. "Why?"

"Because I live directly above you," he said with a grin. "If you go up to the next floor, I live in apartment number _8_, which is right on top of yours."

"Oh," she said, not quite understanding why he found that amusing. "Well, thank you for showing me around. I actually had a really good time."

"You're welcome," he answered, obviously embarrassed.

He turned to leave when he heard Myra's voice say behind him, "Ryou?" He stopped and turned to look at her over his shoulder. "I'll see you at school, right? You'll actually show up?"

"Of course," he answered. "Goodnight, Myra," he said and waved.

"Goodnight," she called back before heading into her apartment and shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Myra flopped down onto her bed and glanced at her clock. _Only eight o'clock, and already I feel so tired,_ she thought to herself. She stifled a yawn and rolled over onto her side so that she faced the wall, and without another thought she allowed herself to drift off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Ryou sat quietly on his bed and gazed out the nearby window into the night sky. The day had gone well, far better than he had expected. He almost dared to imagine that he might become close friends with Myra, though he knew it would probably be impossible. He just never learned. His friendship with the girl would never be allowed, and he knew it. And even if it was to be, he knew that if she ever discovered his darker half, that she would shun him, probably with less understanding than the others. And not to mention that his Yami would probably have great fun toying with the poor girl if he ever got the chance, which no doubt he would if he continued to try and be close to her.

He knew that it was probably for her own good that he stayed away from her, if he became the quiet boy that she had seen the last week, that way she would never have to experience what his Yami was like. Yes, he knew it was for her safety.

He sighed and lie back onto his bed, even though he knew that it would be better if they didn't become friends, yet he somehow couldn't bring himself to disappoint her. He had seen how her jade eyes had lit up in happiness when he had said that he wanted to be her friend, and he didn't want to take that away from her. He knew that was not the only reason, though. He knew that even though it would frighten her once his Yami got a hold of her, his own selfishness for a real friend is what prevented him from making the decision to stay away.

_Well,_ he thought to himself, _the only way to find out is to just see what happens._ He allowed his eyes to fall shut, and his worried mind to find some peace in the silence of sleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: Updated version of chapter four. Just fixed some typos and changed the wording around a little bit. If you catch anything that I missed let me know please so I can fix it! =)_


	5. An Awkward Situation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

* * *

Monday morning; Myra's least favorite day of the week. Why? Simply because it meant going back to school and being forced to endure the stupidity of those around her for almost seven hours, which was not how she liked to begin her week, especially when she had slept so poorly the night before.

As the alarm clock on her nightstand screamed relentlessly at her, Myra growled from under her pile of blankets and had to resist the urge to throw the aggravating device across the room at the wall so that it broke in order to stop its blaring wake-up-call. Her arm shot out from under the blankets and fumbled blindly for the clock until she found it, almost knocking it off the nightstand in the process. She slammed her hand down onto the button that would cease the horrible beeping. She sighed heavily before rising, her hair a tangled mess and her clothes rumpled from sleep. She had stayed up late the night before waiting for her mother to return from her second job, as she felt that she hadn't seen her mother much during the past week. By the time she had gone to bed, she was too exhausted to change her clothes, so had ended up falling asleep in her jeans and t-shirt.

She let out a yawn and stretched before dragging herself into the bathroom to shower. As soon as the hot water struck her, her tense muscles began to relax and she sighed happily, and was reluctant to finally shut off the water and step out of the shower. In her room, she brushed her hair and dressed herself in the hated school uniform and scowled at her reflection when she went back into the bathroom to brush her teeth. As a last minute thought, she decided to wear her hair up that day, and swept it back into neat pony-tail. Grabbing her backpack from her room, she went out the front door, knowing her mother was already long gone by this time.

She walked to school at a slow, even pace, taking her time. She didn't care if she was late today, there wasn't much the school could do, except give her detention, and it's not like she had anything better to do after school except to go home. Not long after she had left her complex though, she heard footsteps fast approaching, and turned to see none other than Ryou racing down the sidewalk, just as he had that first day.

"Myra!" he called when he saw her and picked up his speed slightly.

She stopped and waited for him to catch up, "Running a little late, are we?" she asked with a small laugh.

He stopped next to her and bent over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "Yeah," he panted out, "and you will be too if you don't hurry."

She merely shrugged and said, "I don't really care today, I'm in no hurry to get to that dreadful place. Why don't you walk with me? You look like you could use a change of pace."

He laughed nervously; "Yeah, I guess I could, huh?" he stood up straight then and scratched the back of his heat in embarrassment, something Myra was beginning to notice he did often.

"Well, come on then," she said, smiling, "I want to make a little pit stop before we get to school." She grabbed him by the wrist and began to drag him in another direction. He was surprised to say the least; he wasn't used to much physical contact with people, and was stunned into silence. While it's true that on their outing on Saturday he had been the one to touch her first, and even those few innocent touches had been bold for him. There was nothing he could do now but allow her to tow him along with her, though he wasn't unwilling. In fact, he was thankful that he had ran into her, it provided the perfect opportunity for him to get to know her better, if he could get around his shyness, that is.

Suddenly they stopped, and Ryou, not paying attention, crashed into her back and knocked her to the ground, and since she still happened to be hanging on to his wrist, pulled him down with her. It was an understatement to say that the position they had landed in was awkward and embarrassing for the shy boy. Myra had put out her free arm to break her fall, and only half succeeded, landing on her side and then rolling over onto her back just in time for Ryou to collapse on top of her. What he realized too late was that he also had put his free hand out, and it happened to land on Myra's chest, with his face hovering mere inches from hers.

"Ah! Myra are you alright?" he asked, concerned she had been hurt during the fall. He would have felt horrible if she had cracked her head on the pavement due to his carelessness.

Her eyes were squinted shut in mild pain, and he was relieved to see her eyelids flutter open and reveal her shining green eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. How about you, are you alright?"

He laughed nervously, not wanting to explain that she had broken his fall and he was totally unharmed. "Yes, I'm fine, sorry -" he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, just noticing the position that they were in. He was gazing down at his hand that rested on one of Myra's breasts. She followed his gaze and realized what he was staring in horror at, and a blush suddenly spread across her cheeks. Before she realized what was happening, Ryou had launched himself off her and was stuttering apologies profusely and offering his hand to help her up.

"Ryou!" she yelled, trying to get his attention and stop his string of apologies. "Ryou! It's alright, I forgive you. It was an accident, don't worry about it," she said and began brushing off and straightening her clothes.

'Sorry," he said again, hanging his head in shame. _Oh no,_ he thought. _Have I just messed up our friendship already?_ The thought scared him for a reason that he couldn't determine, and grew anxious at what she might think of him now.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," he heard her voice say, closer now than it was a few moments ago. He looked up to see her face mere inches from his, not unlike the situation they had just been in, only this time they both had the option to back away. "It was an accident; I understand that, so stop apologizing. Understand?" He was shocked; he had expected her to yell at him, maybe even slap him, but not to forgive him so easily. "Now come on," she said, smiling again, "I want to go inside."

He nodded silently, and followed her inside where ever it was that she had led him. He wasn't surprised to see that she had brought him to one of the coffee shops he had shown her a few days before.

"Why are we here?" he asked, looking at the other people in the shop. Some were reading, some were talking on their cell phones or typing on a laptop, and one person seemed to have fallen asleep in the chair he sat in, his head tilted back and his eyes closed.

"I didn't have breakfast this morning, so I'm a little hungry. Do you want anything? My treat," she said, waving a ten dollar bill around.

"No, thank you though," he answered, shaking his head. "Why didn't you eat breakfast?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged before saying, "Not much food in the house." Ryou went silent as she said this, an idea popping into his head. Once Myra had gotten her order, they left the sweet smelling café and headed back to school. The walk was silent, with Myra enjoying her food and Ryou lost in his own thoughts once again, and even if he wasn't, he would have been too shy to say anything after what had happened.

Not long after they had entered the school were they stopped by a teacher who had caught them sneaking back on campus, and escorted them to the principal's office where they were told that they would both be serving detention the next day after school for cutting class. Ryou seemed stressed, and when Myra asked why, he told her it was because he had never received a detention before.

"Don't worry about it," she said later that day as they were walking home from school. "They just make you sit around in a classroom and do nothing, unless you get a spiteful teacher who feels like making you clean erasers," she joked. "And besides, you won't be there alone, I'll be right there suffering with you," she said laughing. He smiled shyly at her jokes and nodded his head.

When they reached their complex they went their separate ways after saying their goodbyes, each to attend to their own agenda. Myra's happened to be homework and a little more unpacking, and maybe even do a little cleaning so that her mother would have less to do. Ryou's, on the other hand, was slightly different; he decided that he would go along with the plan he had formulated earlier when they had been walking back to the school.

_Oh yes,_ he thought,_ tomorrow will be a good day indeed._

* * *

_Author's Note: This is the updated version of chapter five. Let me know if you catch any mistakes that I may have missed so that I can fix them please!_


	6. Breakfast And Detention

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

* * *

It was silent as the morning light crept through the living room window, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Myra was perched upon the couch, dressed in a rather comfortable pair of grey pajama pants and a red tank-top, and her long auburn hair was tied back in a messy pony-tail.

It was still early, only five am, but she had been up for a few hours now merely thinking over the events of the previous night. After parting with Ryou in the hallway she had gone inside and started her homework, as usual, and when she had finished earlier than expected she had decided to clean up the house a little as a favor to her mother. She had thought that her mother would appreciate the gesture, when in fact she hadn't taken any notice of it. As soon as she arrived home, she began to scream at Myra, not even bothering to say hello.

She told her of how her principal had bothered her at work with a phone call, telling her that her daughter had been cutting school and would have to serve detention. Myra apologized and tried to explain that she had went to get something to eat for breakfast, but her mother had cut her off, saying that she was working so hard to support them and doing everything that she could, but she couldn't even trust her daughter to go to school when she left early in the mornings.

She was disappointed, and it was that rather than her anger that struck Myra the hardest. It was the last thing she wanted to do, especially when she knew just how hard her mother was working, and to make things worse, before storming off to her room, her mother had tossed a package at her, telling her that she had bought it for her when she had thought she was doing so well, and then left her to herself.

Myra had sat stunned, frozen in place with the package on her lap, simply staring down at it for a few moments. Finally deciding to open it, she was shocked to find a cell phone, nothing fancy, but her mother knew it was something she had wanted for a few years that her father had never permitted her to have. Tears had begun to fill her eyes, and she had sincerely felt remorse for what she had done.

Now sitting alone in the early morning, her mother already having left for work, she was at a loss as to what she could do to show her mother that she was sorry. She sighed heavily, pulling the elastic band out of her hair so that her hair cascaded down her back. _Well,_ she thought to herself absently, _sitting around isn't going to do me any good. I may as well get ready now._ She hauled herself up from her seat on the couch and went through her normal routine, and by the time she was ready it was only six o'clock, and she didn't have to leave until seven-thirty. Sighing, she decided that was going to lie on the couch and see if she could squeeze a short nap in before she had to go, but as soon as she put her head down on one of the throw pillows, there was a knock at her door.

It was needless to say that she was confused, for who would be knocking on her door this early in the morning? Rising from the couch quickly, she made her way to the door and opened it slowly and peeked out to try and get a look at the person before she decided to open it the rest of the way. When she saw the long white mane of hair she knew immediately who stood on the other side.

"Ryou!" she said in surprise. He was already dressed in his school uniform; a pair of blue pants and a matching blue jacket with a white shirt underneath, and from the looks of him he was wide awake and ready to leave for school. "What are you doing here, especially so early?"

He smiled warmly at her, "I was wondering if you would like to have breakfast with me," he said, slightly embarrassed. She simply stared at him, confused as to quite what he meant. Seeing her quizzical look, he offered an explanation. "You said yesterday that you don't have very much food in your house, so I wanted to know if you would be willing to have breakfast with me."

She was surprised; she didn't think that he would remember such an offhand comment. She considered his offer for a moment, then shrugged and agreed. "I'll go grab some money," she said and started to turn away, but he quickly grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked back at him, confused; surely he didn't intend to pay for her meal?

"That won't be necessary," he said, still holding onto her arm. "I didn't mean go _out_ for breakfast; I meant have breakfast with me at my apartment," he said.

Myra was stopped in her tracks, not only by his words, but also by his grip on her arm, which was beginning to tighten considerably to the point that it began to hurt. She looked up into his face, and was astonished to notice that something about his face seemed…different. His features were sharper, and his narrowed eyes had taken on a slight mahogany color. She blinked her eyes once, twice, and found that he looked to be himself again; innocent, pure Ryou, with his inviting smile and shining eyes. Had she imagined the changes? "Ryou," she whispered, "you're hurting me."

"Huh?" he asked, obviously unaware of the strength of his own grip and confused at her words. She glanced at her arm in his grasp then met his eyes once again, a silent signal as to what she meant. "Oh, so sorry!" he said, releasing her and taking a step back. "So, what do you say?" he asked in reference to his offer.

There was no hesitation in her answer as Myra said, "Yes, of course!" and gave him a smile of her own. She grabbed her backpack and the new phone her mother had given her the previous night, locked the door behind her, and followed Ryou to his apartment. Once they reached the end of the hall where the elevator and stairs were both located, Ryou automatically headed for the elevator, but upon seeing Myra shy away from it, he remembered her earlier request to take the stairs, and instead led her up the staircase to the second floor.

He led her silently to his apartment, and as he had told her before, he lived in the unit directly above her. She watched as he reached up above the door and ran his hand along the doorframe in search of the spare key he kept there, found it, and unlocked the door before placing it back in its hiding place. He pushed to door open slowly and flicked a light on before ushering her in.

She passed through the threshold tentatively, quietly observing everything around her. His apartment had the exact same layout as hers, which was a given, and was kept exceptionally clean. The front room was sparsely furnished with only a loveseat, a small entertainment center, the television that it was holding, a lamp, and a wooden coffee table. The walls were bare as well, showing that the occupants of the apartment didn't care much for personal touches. Another thing that she noticed was that it was silent, save for the sounds of Ryou rummaging through the cupboards in the kitchen.

"Hey, Ryou?" she asked, coming into the kitchen to watch him search for whatever it was that he looking for.

"Hmm?"

"Where are you parents? Do they leave for work early in the morning?" she asked casually. She saw him tense at her words before turning to face her.

"No, not quite. I live alone," he answered, turning away from her once again. "I don't really want to talk about it," he said quickly before Myra had the chance to even ask. Both teens were silent after his words, and Myra simply watched as the boy in front of her gathered the things he needed to prepare breakfast "Myra," he said quietly, "why don't you sit down?" It wasn't until he pointed it out that she noticed that she had been standing in the middle of the kitchen awkwardly, probably making the poor boy nervous. She took a seat in one of the wooden chairs that was in the dining room adjoining the kitchen.

She took the opportunity to observe the room she was in since Ryou was busy and didn't seem to be in the mood to talk much. Much like the living room, the kitchen and dining room were very clean with very few pieces of furniture and absolutely no décor. The small table she sat at was made of a darkly colored wood that matched the chair she sat in as well as the other one across from her. There was a light fixture hanging above the table, though it was nothing spectacular. The walls were as white as the ones in the living room, and how he managed to keep them so was a mystery to her, and looking down at the carpets, she saw that it was also kept very clean, save for a tiny red-brown stain no more than five feet from where she sat.

That struck her as odd, seeing as how Ryou seemed to prefer his home to be kept in a state of cleanliness. The stain was small, not something that she would have noticed had she not been inspecting the carpet. She raised herself from her seated position and approached the stain, and under closer examination, she noticed that there was not just one stain, but a trail of them, leading from the living room towards the rear of the apartment. _How curious,_ she thought to herself absently, pushing down the urge to follow the morbid trail to wherever it led.

"Myra?" Ryou's voice said behind her. "What are you doing? Breakfast is ready." She turned to see him standing behind her, setting plates full of food onto the table. It was then that the sweet aroma of fresh pancakes wafted over to her, and eagerly she diverted her attention from the macabre stains and instead focused on the meal Ryou had courteously prepared for her.

She took the seat opposite of the white-haired teen and tentatively began picking at her food, not wanting to stuff her face in front of her new friend; especially should he find it rude or disgusting. It wasn't long before she heard him let out a soft chuckle and when she glanced up at him to see why, she found that he was regarding her with amusement shining in his chocolate eyes. "Come now, Myra, you don't have to eat like a bird. Unless you don't like it?" he said, motioning to the pile of pancakes dripping with sweet syrup that were stacked on her plate.

"Oh no, I love them!" she said, waving her hands in front of her with an embarrassed smile, "I just haven't eaten anything this good since I moved here. I want to enjoy it."

Ryou laughed again, sending a jolt of embarrassment and joy through her. His laugh was soft and polite, and in no way condescending of her reasoning; just what she expected from him. It was then that she decided that she liked making him laugh, even if it was at her expense, she didn't mind.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, a shy smile gracing his almost feminine features, "but I'm afraid we don't have much time left before we have to leave for school. I'm not sure about you, but I don't want another detention."

"Huh?" Myra said dumbly, glancing at the clock, and then seeing what time it was, began to shovel the rest of her food into her mouth. They only had ten minutes until they had to leave! Once both teens had finished their food, Myra helped Ryou to do a quick rinse of the dishes before throwing them into the dishwasher for later. Grabbing their backpacks from the living room, the two youths jogged downstairs and out of their apartment complex. Once outside, the two began to slow down their pace, talking together about trivial things and simply enjoying each other's company. When they reached the school they said goodbye and went their separate ways, though both knew that it wouldn't be long before they saw each other again.

* * *

Myra sighed as the final bell rang, signaling that school was finally over, though it didn't bring any feelings of freedom or relief to her, not while she still had detention to serve.

_It won't be so bad,_ she thought, trying to lighten her mood, _I won't be there by myself, Ryou will be with me. _She smiled at the thought, and jogged off to where detention was being held. When she reached the detention room she immediately noticed how bare it was; while most class rooms were decorated with posters or student work, this one sported plain white walls, a teacher's desk, and a few uncomfortable looking desks for students. The second thing that she noticed was that her pale, white-haired friend was already there, seated as far back from the teacher's desk as possible, and looking incredibly nervous. When he saw her he gave an anxious smile and she waved in return, taking a seat next to him.

"You're here early," she said.

"Or maybe you're just late," he answered, trying to joke but failing. "Where's the teacher? Aren't we supposed to be supervised?" he asked, looking around the room quickly and then settling his gaze on her.

"Yeah, normally we are, but maybe this teacher is just a -" she was cut off by the sound of the heavy door opening and slamming shut once again. The man who walked in was short and a little overweight, the bald spot on his head reflecting the light in a way that made Myra giggle. He glared at her, and she decided then that his features reminded her of a rat.

"You were saying?" he asked in a nasally voice, his tone short and intending to intimidate her.

Thinking quickly, Myra answered, "Just a little late." A smug smile appeared on her face as she realized that she had just foiled this man's attempt to catch her in the act of insulting a teacher. The rat-faced man glared at her harder than before, and she couldn't suppress the giggle that threatened to escape. She noticed Ryou give her a nervous sideways glance, the look in his eyes pleading with her not to antagonize the teacher assigned to supervise them. She understood his reason why, and gave a curt nod to assure him.

The man in the front of the classroom grumbled a bit under his breath before introducing himself, though Myra instantly forgot his name. "Well, I was expecting more students to be here today, this isn't worth my time," the rat-faced man grumbled to himself and looked down at the clipboard he held in his hand. "You must be Ryou?" he said, addressing the paler of the two teens, and after receiving a nod of confirmation, he turned towards Myra and said, "And you must be Myra, correct?"

"Yep!" she answered enthusiastically, knowing that she was already on this man's bad side, and what made it so much better was that she hadn't even known him for a full five minutes yet. Her answer seemed to irritate the man more, and Myra couldn't help but find his frustration with her amusing. She watched as the teacher brought a hand up and began to massage his temples.

"I'm going to step out for a bit," he mumbled. "Behave yourselves, unless, of course, you want to attend Saturday school as well?" he asked. Myra grinned and nodded, while Ryou gave a brief nod, though he didn't understand what the man had meant. Both teens watched as the short man made his way to the door, opened it and stepped out, leaving the two of them alone

Suddenly Myra let out a loud laugh, and a startled Ryou turned to her in surprise. "Man, that guy sure is in a bad mood! I wonder what crawled up his butt and died?" she said, using the expression that her father had often used when she was a child.

"Myra!" Ryou gasped at her words. Being the polite, quiet-natured boy that he was, he had never gotten used to such language, with the exception of Joey, and he was even more surprised to hear such words coming from the mouth of a girl. She grinned sheepishly at him and shrugged. "So, uh," he stammered nervously, "what exactly are we supposed to do here?"

The girl seated next to him smiled at him and laughed, throwing her head back slightly, and he felt a flush of embarrassment creep into his face. Did she think him to be naïve now? He was about to tell her never mind, forget what he said, but before the words could leave his mouth, he heard her clear voice answer.

"To be honest, not much," she said rather bluntly. "Normally, the teacher is supposed to _stay_ in the room with us to supervise, and if they don't make us clean erasers," she said jokingly, "then we would just do homework or some other meaningless task to keep ourselves busy and make it look like we're doing something productive," she finished lightly, smiling at him in a way that he found unusually happy for someone serving detention. He sighed heavily, not knowing that that wasn't the end of what the bright-eyed girl beside him had to say. "Fortunately for us," she started once again, catching the snowy-haired boy by surprise, "this isn't how a traditional detention goes. The teacher has left us alone, which means we don't really have to do anything."

Ryou stared at her for a moment, taking in her words as well as her beauty, and he felt something stir inside him; something familiar and dreaded.

_No, not now. Please, not now,_ he thought to himself, tearing his eyes away from her and squinting them shut in a vain effort to keep his darker half from rising to the surface. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, he knew that it was bound to happen sometime, it always did.

"Ryou? Are you alright?" He suddenly heard her voice, low and laced with worry. He looked up to see her leaning over his desk, concern showing in her clear, jade gaze. Her auburn hair tumbled over her shoulders in waves, and her tan skin seemed to glow in the light of the room. He suddenly found her very…alluring. Or rather, his Yami did, though that didn't mean that he didn't find her attractive. He knew that if he stayed here much longer he wouldn't be able to stop his other half from taking over, and that was certainly something he didn't want her to see. He jumped from his seat and hurriedly made his way towards the door, not bothering to say goodbye or explain his actions; though he didn't have the chance to get through the door before he heard her voice call out behind him, "Ryou, wait!"

He stopped. It was too late; he couldn't hold _him_ in anymore. Though he had had good intentions in leaving her, with those two simple words, his entire resistance against _him_ crumbled, and he felt the effects of his Yami gaining possession of his body, while his own mind slipped silently into his soul room.

While his back was turned, Myra had been reaching for him, but froze suddenly. Something was different. Something was _wrong_, something she couldn't quite name. The atmosphere in the room had changed, that she knew. Before it had been light and almost what she would consider relaxing, but now that had completely changed. There was what felt like an ominous air about the room, and she found herself shivering with chills that had seemingly come from nowhere. Ryou still stood in the doorway, not looking at her nor speaking.

"Ryou?" she said, her voice almost failing her, which astonished her; she was never the type to feel fear for an unexplained reason, let alone act on it.

She watched as he took a step back, shutting the door again and letting out a low, dark chuckle. The sound sent shivers down her spine. It didn't sound like Ryou's laugh, it didn't have the warming effect on her that his usual embarrassed or light-hearted laugh did, but instead, it made her take a small step back. He slowly turned to face her, his head bowed and his bangs covering his eyes, though she could see a crooked smirk pulling at his pale lips, also unlike Ryou. He didn't smirk, he simply smiled. She heard another laugh come from him, only this time louder and slightly maniacal sounding. His head shot up and she instantly saw something that deeply disturbed her; his chocolate eyes were no longer gazing at her in a friendly manner. Instead, his irises now seemed to take on a mahogany color, and his eyes were more narrowed than usual, his features sharper, and his long, snow-white hair more erratic. His smirk widened as he sauntered over to her. He even moved different!

What was happening? She didn't understand what had come over her friend, but she didn't like it, not in the least bit. She hadn't noticed it, but she had unconsciously been backing away from him as he was approaching her, and when she felt her legs bump into the desk behind her, she stopped, frozen in place like a deer caught in headlights. He stood before her now, almost glaring down at her with those narrowed eyes of his, and she couldn't help but glare back, her defenses starting to kick in again. Another thing she noticed was that he now seemed a few inches taller, whereas before they had been almost equal in height, and now she had to look up at him in order to meet his gaze.

He chuckled again, and she began to grow irritated with all of his laughing. Just what the hell was so damn funny? As she was about to voice her thoughts, he spoke, lowly and almost in a sinister manner.

"Alright," he said and stepped even closer to her, "I won't leave." His voice was low, not in the usual soft-spoken manner. The roughness of his voice startled her, but at the same time she couldn't help but find the sound of his new tone strangely enthralling. He placed his hand against her cheek, not gently but not roughly either, and traced his finger from her ear lobe down to her jaw and finally to her throat. Myra's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, again she had the acute sense that something was wrong with Ryou, something she couldn't name or hope to explain.

Suddenly she felt pressure against her windpipe as his hand closed around her throat. Fear was instantly instilled in her and her defensive instincts kicked in. She wrapped one hand around his hand that was gripping her throat and the other pushed against his chest, trying to put some distance between the two of them.

She heard him growl at her resistance, and he pushed himself closer to her and ripped her hand away from his and held it tightly in his grip. The hand that was pressed against his chest was trapped there, and he applied a little more pressure to her throat. It didn't hurt, more like it was just uncomfortable, as well as a warning and a sign that at the moment she was completely at his mercy if he chose to harm her. She looked up at his face, locking eyes with him and in them saw a sadistic glint, and his grin widened.

"Ryou," she rasped out, "what are you doing? Let me go!" He only laughed at her, squeezing her wrist tightly enough that she knew there would be an ugly bruise later. "Leave me alone!" she snarled at him, finally losing her patience.

"Ah, Myra, you are so indecisive," he drawled. "First you tell me to stay and I humor you, and now you are telling me to leave? You need to make up your mind, my dear." He released her throat and she gasped, breathing deeply to make up for the lack of oxygen before. He ran his now free hand through her hair gently at first, and then grabbing a fist full of it, yanked her head back slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"Or maybe you just don't know what you want, do you? Shall I decide for you?" He didn't give her a chance to respond; instead he swooped down and crashed his lips to hers.

It was sudden and unexpected, leaving Myra stunned and in a state of partial paralysis. His kiss was forceful and bruising, and when she tried to resist, he lightly bit her bottom lip, as a warning or asking permission for entrance, she wasn't sure, but she wouldn't give it to him. Beneath her hand she could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, almost as quickly as hers was. Strangely, she found herself beginning to relax in his grip, and soon she found herself kissing back, and she felt him smirk against her mouth.

It was over all too soon, the hands gripping her wrist and hair released their hold, and the harsh mouth covering hers retreated as he pushed himself away from her.

Myra found herself trembling as a blush rose to her cheeks and she suddenly felt more than a little dizzy. She was in a complete daze, slow to react and vulnerable. When she felt the weight of Ryou's hands upon her shoulders, forcing her down into the chair nearest to her, she didn't try to bat his hands away, nor question him. As soon as she was seated, he stepped away from her and sat himself in the seat next to her. Almost as soon as they were seated, the door was thrown open and the teacher from before stormed in, his face bright red and his breathing uneven.

He was grumbling to himself like before, only this time he seemed to be truly angry about something. "You!" he said, pointing at Myra and Ryou, "Leave!"

The man's raised voice snapped Myra out of her daze, and glancing at the clock, she noticed that detention wasn't over yet. "But Sir, detention isn't over, we still have -"

He cut her off, "I _know_ how much time is left, stupid girl. Something came up, and now I need you to leave, _now._ Don't worry; I'll mark your detention as served. Now get out!" he almost screamed. Myra jumped from her seat and hastily pushed her chair in and scurried to get out of the room. She paused at the doorway, waiting for Ryou, though she was unsure why, especially when she felt such a great need to escape from him after what had just happened. She watched as he stood abruptly from his chair, pushing it out and away from the desk and began to walk away. "Push your chair in, Ryou!" the rat-faced man bellowed.

"Bakura," he snapped back at the teacher, throwing the chair back into the desk. "You will call me Bakura."

The teacher was confused for a moment before saying, "You wish to be called by your last name?" Taking the teen's grunt as a yes, he merely shrugged and dismissed them once again, only this a little more forcefully, slamming the door behind them. The two youths were left standing outside alone, as there weren't many people left on campus now, and the ones who were all were school staff and faculty.

"Well, let's head home, shall we?" Myra heard Ryou's polite voice say beside her. She turned to face him, what happened in the room finally catching up with her, and she stared at him in shock. He had changed again, he looked more like the Ryou that she knew, with his warm chocolate eyes and charming attitude, but something was still _off_ about him. She could still feel something malicious in the air, and he still seemed to radiate an aura of darkness and intimidation, yet he smiled at her so warmly she couldn't help but agree and follow him off campus.

The two didn't say much as they walked home, either out of awkwardness or the fact that both seemed to be lost within their own thoughts. Time seemed to fly by, especially since Myra wasn't especially paying attention to her surroundings, or the ivory-haired boy beside her. It seemed like they she had only been walking a few minutes before she heard his voice say, "Myra, we're here." She looked up and found herself to be standing in front of the door to her apartment.

"Oh, we are," she answered, giving him an awkward smile and unlocking her door. "Well, I'll, uh, see you later I guess?" she asked, and without waiting for an answer said, "Bye!" before rushing inside and slamming the door and locking it behind her. She listened patiently for his soft footsteps to signal that he had left, then leaned against the door and slid down it, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them.

She was so confused. What had happened back there? Ryou had kissed her; that she was sure of. But why? Why would he do something like that? He had never showed any romantic interest in her during the short time that she knew him, so she didn't understand why he would so suddenly…her thoughts trailed off then as tears came to her eyes. She lifted herself from the floor and dragged herself to her room, threw herself on her bed, and sobbed.

What had she done? She had let her best friend, well, her only friend at that, kiss her, and she had kissed back. Why hadn't she stopped him? Had she just ruined their friendship? She imagined so, she didn't believe it was possible for her to continue on and act like nothing ever happened, especially if for some reason Ryou _did_ have an interest in her; she didn't want to hurt him. And worst of all, that had been her first kiss, stolen away by a friend whom she had thought would be too shy to ever attempt at an intimate relationship with a girl, let alone go stealing kisses from a friend.

She sighed heavily. _What am I going to do? How can I see him again after what happened? Maybe…maybe…_. Her thoughts drifted away as sleep overtook her. Although the day hadn't been particularly strenuous, she had still managed to tire herself out. Her senses dulled as she allowed herself to succumb to her exhaustion, and almost instantly she fell asleep, dreaming of a certain pale, _mahogany-_eyed boy.

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Author's Note: This is the updated version of chapter six. Let me know please if you catch any errors I may have missed so that I can fix them! =D


	7. Late Night Occurrences

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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_Thunk! Crash!_

Myra woke with a start as something in the apartment above her hit the floor, also her ceiling, hard enough to rumble the walls and wake her. She wearily sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and looked around the room. Still half asleep, she thought maybe she had imagined the loud noises, and just as she was about to lie back down, another tremor shook the walls, this one a little more violent.

Sitting up straight and fully awake now, she glared up at her ceiling, her jaed gaze burning imaginary holes through it. Quickly she glanced at the digital clock beside her bed, and when she saw that the bright red numbers displayed the time 3:00 am, she winced and sighed heavily. Dragging herself out of bed, she started down the hallway, pausing once at her mother's door and peaked in. She seemed to still be sound asleep, and though she knew her mother was a heavy sleeper, she didn't think she was _that_ heavy of a sleeper. Uttering a sound that was half a sigh and half a laugh, she closed her mother's door and went out into the main hall, dressed in nothing but her pajamas.

She shivered as the cool air of the hallway whispered over the exposed skin of her legs and arms. _Damn,_ she thought to herself as she started up the stairs, _I should have worn something a little warmer._ Rubbing her hands up and down her arms in a weak attempt to create friction, she picked up her pace a bit, knowing that the sooner she got this over with the sooner she could go back to bed. After all, she _did_ have school tomorrow, and as much as she dreaded the thought she knew she would have to go. After what seemed like the longest climb of her life, she finally arrived at the door of the apartment above hers; Ryou's apartment. She paused briefly, unsure of what to do, or whether she wanted to do anything for that matter. As she was about to turn away and go home again, she heard another loud crash from the inside, and she vaguely recognized the sound as shattering glass.

Quickly making up her mind, she spun back around, her messy hair whipping wildly about her face. She knocked once on the door, and was startled to see it creak open slightly. Odd, she didn't think Ryou would be so careless as to leave his door unlocked, let alone not even shut properly. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open farther and poked her head inside. She was greeted by utter darkness and an oppressing silence hung about the apartment.

"Ryou?" she called, tentatively. When she received no answer she said again, this time a little louder, "Ryou?" At first she heard nothing, and as she strained her ears, she picked up the sound of feet shuffling against the floor, and as far as she could tell the sound was moving away from her, so whatever had caused it had been in the room with her. She stepped farther in, shutting and locking the door behind her, and as the lock slid into place she found the resulting click to be an ominous sound that made her gut clench. She fumbled around for a few seconds that seemed to drag on forever, before finally finding and flicking the light switch. The sight that greeted her both surprised and worried her at once.

The room was in shambles. The small television set had been ripped out of the entertainment center, its cords torn out of the wall and lying in a heap beside it. The cushions on the loveseat had been shredded so that the white filling was exposed, and some of it had even been strewn across the room. The coffee table had been flipped over, and whatever contents had rested on it before were now crushed beneath it. The only thing in the room that remained intact, well, for the most part anyway, was the small lamp. It was laying on the floor now, its lampshade missing, but luckily it was still plugged into the wall.

As she took in the sight before her, a feeling of anxiety and fear for her friend settled in her stomach. Had he been robbed? The idea sent a shiver of fear through her, but pushing past it, she wandered farther into the house, peaking into the kitchen as she passed it by. It also happened to be in a similar state as the living room, with pots and pans ripped out of the cupboards, drawers pulled open with silverware littering the floor. The feeling of dread that had started to develop worsened, but she pressed forward.

Coming to the hallway where there were three doors, all three shut, she took a deep breath and tried the first one; the one that she knew would be the bathroom. Empty; trashed, just like all the other rooms had been. She moved on to the next door, the one right above her mother's room, but found it to be locked. She scowled at the door, hating to be refused entrance even though it wasn't her home or business what was behind the door.

Finally, she turned to the last door, the one right above her own room, and placed her hand on the knob. Taking a deep breath, she began to turn it ever so slowly, and when she pushed open the door she was greeted with darkness, save for the moonlight filtering in through the window, as it appeared the curtains had been torn down, allowing the light to shine in. With only the pale moonlight illuminating the room, she found it difficult to see, but once her eyes began to adjust to the darkness she was able to faintly see a figure curled up on the floor. At first the figure was unrecognizable, but when it shifted slightly so that the light from the moon fall upon it, illuminating its snowy-white hair, she knew instantly who it was.

"Ryou!" she called, crossing the short distance between them quickly, kneeling by his side as soon as she reached him. He said nothing, nor did he move. "Ryou," she said again, this time softer, reaching out tentatively and touching his hair. It was soft beneath her fingers, and she couldn't resist the temptation to run her fingers through it, enjoying its silky feel; at least until she noticed the pair of chocolate colored eyes staring at her in surprise.

"Myra," she heard him whisper out, his voice strained, almost as if he had been crying. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Though he sounded weary, he made no move to remove her fingers from his hair as she continued to run them through his mane.

"You woke me up," she said bluntly. "Whatever was going on up here and causing all that noise woke me up." She paused briefly, locking eyes with him. "At first I came up here to tell you to keep it down, but when I knocked on the door, it was unlocked and open, so I came in." She saw him flinch, but ignored it and continued. "When I saw the state the front room is in, well, I got a little worried," she admitted shyly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay, so here I am," she finished lamely.

Silence hung between them, and Myra dropped her hand from his hair, the awkwardness of the situation finally sinking in. She was about to stand to leave, to bid him goodnight and return home, when suddenly she was tackled to the floor. Her back hit the floor hard enough that her breath was knocked out of her, and then there was weight atop her, making it harder for her to regain her breath. She pushed herself up slightly, and saw that the weight on top of her was caused by her pale-skinned friend. He was trembling, his thin arms wrapped tightly around her small waist, his face buried in her stomach, and she could feel tears beginning to soak her shirtfront.

She tensed for a moment, unsure of what to do, but upon hearing her friend's strangled sobs, she relaxed and gave him the comfort he sought. She began to run her fingers through his hair again, and her other hand rubbed small circles on his back, trying to soothe him. "Ryou," she whispered, so quite that she was afraid he hadn't heard her. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She waited as he calmed himself, taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly until he got a hold of himself. "_He_ did this," he whispered, motioning to the state of the room and the others beyond with a nod of his head. She was quite confused. _He?_ What did he mean?

"Who, Ryou?" she questioned, leaning closer so she could hear him better. Slowly he lifted his head, his usually warm chocolate eyes serious and intense.

"Bakura," he hissed. There was that name again. She knew that it was Ryou's last name, but didn't understand why he was using it to refer to someone other than himself. The only time she had heard him use it to address himself was that time in detention, but he hadn't seemed like himself then, it was like he was a whole different person.

"I don't understand," she whispered. She heard, as well as felt him sigh against her, and placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed himself away.

"Myra," he said, his voice taking on a grave tone, "I think it's time that I tell you the truth."

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_Author's Note: Again, this is simply a revised version of chapter seven. If you catch any mistakes that I missed please let me knwo so that I can fix them!_


	8. Explanations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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Myra sat upon Ryou's soft bed, her legs crossed beneath her and her arms wrapped around herself, trying to keep warm. She watched as the thin boy before her paced restlessly around the room, his dark eyes narrowed in thought. She shivered as a cool breeze caressed her, and she figured it was the result of a drafty window. She shivered again, this time a bit harder, and she hugged herself tighter, trying to fight off the cold. Suddenly a blanket was draped over her shoulders, and she looked up to see Ryou hovering over her, his features worried as he forced a nervous smile onto his face. She returned his smile, nodding her head in thanks.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he plopped down beside her, causing the bed to dip slightly beneath his weight. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands. "I'm not sure where to start," he whispered.

"With the beginning," she whispered back, wrapping the blanket a bit tighter around her. She watched him carefully as he lifted his head from his hands. He observed her silently, wondering what would happen when she learned the truth. Would she be horrified? Would she shun him because of his darker half like the others had? Or would she be the friend he had always secretly wished for? To be the one person to accept him for who he was, to accept _every_ part of him, including his Yami. He let out a breath that he wasn't aware he had been holding, and nodded, finally gathering his resolve.

"My mother and sister are both dead," he started, and when he saw that she went to say something, probably to offer comfort, he lifted his hand to stop her, wanting to get the beginning of his tale out before he chickened out. "My father is all that I have left, though he is not around often. The locked door across from mine leads into his room, though it hasn't been used for quite some time," he explained.

_So that's what is behind the locked door,_ she thought to herself, her curiosity about the room now fading. When she saw his hesitant look, she reached out tentatively and placed a soft hand on his shoulder. "Go on," she encouraged.

He nodded, closing his eyes. "During one of my father's trips to Egypt, he purchased something he intended to give to me as a gift, though it's turned out to be more of a curse," he muttered, reaching inside his shirt and pulling out something shiny that glinted in the pale moonlight. "The Millennium Ring," he explained, passing it to her for closer examination, though still keeping it on.

She held the object gingerly, as if the slightest bit of pressure would cause the item to crumble into dust. She turned the item around in the light, taking in the feel of it in her hands and its ominous appearance. She stroked her fingers against the dangling pendants, letting them clink together, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent room. She let the ring go, placing it gently against his chest, running her hand over it one last time.

As she did this, he watched her intently, and when she allowed the ring to rest against his chest he felt her soft fingers through his thin shirt, and he shivered involuntarily. Before he allowed himself to dwell on any more thoughts of her, he continued to tell his story.

"It's an ancient Egyptian artifact, part of a set of seven. Though my father didn't know it at the time, it's actually…possessed," he muttered. He was expecting her to laugh, to call him crazy or to mock him, so he was shocked when she didn't do any of those. When he met her eyes, he saw sincere interest shining in her green orbs, and he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his pink lips.

"By what?" she asked, removing her hand from his shoulder and using it to wrap the blanket back around her. She found herself leaning slightly towards him, half in fascination at his story, and half in an unconscious attempt to seek out heat, as the chill air had now started to penetrate through the thin blanket.

He leaned closer in return, bringing his voice down to a whisper, "And evil spirit. To be more specific, the spirit of a thief from ancient Egypt." She leaned forward a bit more, having to scoot the rest of herself closer to keep from throwing herself off balance and toppling over onto his lap. "Unfortunately, this spirit, who chooses to go by my last name, Bakura, can take control of my body whenever he pleases," he finished, looking deeply into her eyes for any signs of disbelief or fear. He found none, though what worried him was that she wasn't saying anything. "Myra?" he asked shyly.

"Mhmm," she answered, and he could tell from the sound of her voice and the fact that she was now resting her head on this shoulder that she was tired.

"You're not…scared? Or think I'm crazy?" he asked, hanging his head in anticipation of her answer, thinking himself foolish to expect anything else.

She shifted against him a bit, trying to get more comfortable. "No, why would I?" she murmured. "Besides, I've seen proof of it, so I would be a fool to try and deny it." At hearing her words, he allowed himself to relax slightly, though there was still one more question he had to ask.

"Myra…will you…I mean," he struggled for words, not quite sure he wanted to hear her answer. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he finally spat the words out. "Myra, will you still be friends with me, despite the existence of Bakura?" He prepared himself for the worst.

She laughed a bit then. He reminded her of a child that was afraid to lose his friend because he stole their cookies. "Silly Ryou," she laughed, leaning against him more heavily, "of course I will." Ryou completely relaxed then, letting out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"Myra, don't you think you should be getting home now?" he asked, yawning widely. When he received no answer, he realized that she had fallen asleep on him! He smiled fondly, moving her so that she was lying down on his bed, her head on his pillow and her body covered by a thicker blanket than the one he had given her before. As he was leaving the room, he threw her one last glance over his shoulder admiring the way she looked in the moonlight streaming through his window.

He headed towards the living room, stopping to grab an extra pillow and blanket out of the hall closet. He made his bed for that night on his small loveseat after locating the destroyed cushions and putting them back where they belonged. He sighed, knowing that he had a lot of cleaning to do; in fact he would probably have to skip school tomorrow in order to finish it all before nightfall the next day.

As he allowed his thoughts to revolve around all the housework he would have to do tomorrow, his eyes began to feel heavy, and as he drifted off to sleep, his last waking thoughts were of the girl sleeping soundly in his bed in the next room.

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_Author's Note: Revised version of chapter eight. Please let me know if you catch any mistakes that I missed so that I can fix them! Thank you!_


	9. Qualitly Cleaning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I Do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

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The commotion that Ryou awoke to the next morning was sudden and caused a tremendous amount of noise. The sounds of someone crashing through his house jolted him awake. Sitting bolt upright, his brown eyes going wide as he tried to recall why his apartment was in the state that it was in, and _why_ someone would be inside his home. It didn't take him long to remember, and as soon as he stood and made his way towards the hall, a figure came crashing into him, almost knocking him to the ground.

"Myra," he gasped, catching her as well as having to prevent himself from being knocked over. He allowed her to lean against him as she relaxed, coming to her senses.

"Ryou," she whispered, looking up into his confused face. "Where am I?" she yawned, leaning against him a little more.

"You don't remember?" She shook her head. "My apartment," he sighed. He felt her stiffen against him. "Something wrong?" he murmured, trying to keep her as calm as he could, especially after everything he had told her last night.

"It wasn't a dream," she whispered against his chest. She pulled away from him, slowly so as not to lose her balance. Her dazed green orbs met his, and as she looked at him, she saw something in his eyes that looked like shame. "He really exists, doesn't he?" she asked, placing her hand over his chest, right about where the Millennium Ring would be hanging if he had it on. At his nod, she sighed, "Oh, Ryou." She wrapped her thin arms around his midsection, pulling him into a light embrace, and it was then that he realized just how little she was wearing. He blushed as he felt her soft breasts press against his chest through her thin tank-top. Before he had a chance to respond, she pulled back and glanced over his shoulder at the clock that was still barely hanging on the wall. When she saw what time it was, her eyes widened dramatically. "Shit!" she cursed, brushing past him and out the door, leaving the poor boy baffled.

He stood motionless for a moment, staring at the spot she had just been occupying, before turning to look at the clock behind him. Suddenly he realized why she was in such a hurry; school started in a mere thirty minutes. He let out a heavy sigh, closing the front door that Myra had left wide open when she had left.

"Well," he thought aloud, "may as well get started."

* * *

Myra mentally cursed herself as she flew down the stairs and into her apartment. How could she have been so stupid? Not bothering to be quiet, she rushed around trying to get ready for school on time; she would deal with her mother later. Since she had such a short amount of time, she neglected to eat breakfast or to even take a shower, which left her feeling rather disgusting. She quickly threw her uniform on, ran a brush through her hair a few times, grabbed her bag and raced out the door and didn't once stop until she reached school, just barely making it before the final bell rang. After all, the last thing she needed was another detention.

The day passed before her in a blur of sound and color, only occasionally paying attention to what was going on around her. Though she had become much closer to Ryou in the past few weeks, she was still rather distant from the others, as Teá was still quite tense around her, though she had stopped going out of her way to be cruel. She merely brushed off the other girl, instead choosing to talk to Yugi and Joey, whom she was surprised to learn that she actually enjoyed their company, while she found Tristan and Duke's almost constant bantering to be rather obnoxious.

So as she stopped by their group's little hangout spot during the lunch hour, mainly to say hello to Yugi and Wheeler, she was surprised when the brunette girl pulled her aside. "Teá, is something wrong?" she asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow at the other girl.

"Where's Ryou?" she demanded, though in a tone a bit less rude than the one she normally spoke to her in. She crossed her arms over her chest, her cerulean eyes narrowing.

Myra shrugged. "How should I know?" she answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, when in fact she had been wondering the very same thing herself.

Teá growled, "Because you two have been _so_ close lately," she paused, a smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth, "or at least you think you are."

She crossed her arms, her stance radiating defiance. "And just _what_ is that supposed to mean? You're not exactly very close to him either, according to him," she countered. The brunette snarled, her hands clenching into fists, flesh stretched taut over knuckle bones. "That's right," she taunted, a smirk of her own gracing her features, "Ryou told me about how you shunned him after finding out about," she paused, unsure if she should continue.

"About?"

She hesitated. "Bakura." At the other girl's quizzical look, she sighed heavily, "The spirit that possesses the Millennium Ring."

Teá gasped, lifting a delicate hand to cover her mouth, her light eyes widening in shock. "M-Myra," she stuttered, obviously having a difficult time finding the right words. "The spirit, he's-"

Myra cut her off, raising a hand and shaking her head. "I don't care what you have to say on the matter. The point is you rejected your friend because of a small inconvenience." She glared at the other girl, her jade colored eyes taking on a fierce light. "Just because you're too scared of what lurks within Ryou's Millennium Ring doesn't mean I have to be," she spat. "Now, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from making false assumptions about me." Without another word, she turned on her heel, leaving a stunned Teá in her wake.

Muttering to herself as she made her way to her next class, she failed to notice Yugi and the others staring after her in confusion as she stomped away from the other female. In fact, she didn't notice much else that day. The rest of the school day flew by, and before she knew it she was home, standing in her room and dumping the contents of her backpack onto her bed.

Grabbing her notebook, she began her homework in a daze, not really absorbing any of the information it held. Instead, she focused mainly on the confrontation she had had earlier that day. The more she thought about it, the more distressed she became.

"Damn it!" she cursed, slamming her notebook shut and throwing it to the floor. She lied back onto her pillow, closing her eyes and trying to force herself to sleep, thinking a short nap would do well for her frazzled nerves. After a mere five minutes of this, she grew impatient and began to pace her room in an attempt to calm herself. She was annoyed, yet she couldn't figure out why. She knew that a part of her had wanted to stay and hear what Teá had to say, simply out of curiosity, but another part of her wouldn't allow her too. She soon realized that she had questions. And there was only one person that could answer them. Letting out a heavy sigh and rubbing her temples, she made her decision.

* * *

Ryou had just finished picking up the last of the scattered pots and pans, putting them all back into their proper place when he heard three sharp knocks on his door. Straightening up and dusting himself off, he answered the door, opening it only enough to pop his head out, so that whoever was on the other side wouldn't be able to see the state that his apartment was currently in, albeit it was in better condition than it had been earlier that morning.

His soft eyes widened a bit when he caught sight of Myra standing on the other side of his door, looking more than a bit frustrated. "Something wrong?" he inquired.

"Can I come in?" she asked with a sigh, her green eyes silently begging him to comply. At the nod of his head, he opened the door wider, though just wide enough for her to squeeze through before shutting it again quickly and locking it. She turned to face him, her expression revealing her confused state. He gazed back at her with quizzical eyes, a small frown on his pale face that seemed to mar his features. It was then that she noticed that something about him looked different, and she began to scrutinize him, looking for what it was that seemed to alter his appearance so.

He wore a simple pair of faded blue jeans, a plain white shirt, and his sneakers; nothing out of the ordinary. Looking back at his face, she noticed what was different. He had his long, white hair pulled back, secured loosely in an elastic band at the nape of his neck. "What's with the do?" she asked, motioning to his hair with an odd look on her face.

He grinned, blushing a bit as he explained, "I've been cleaning all day and I got tired of my hair constantly falling in my face." He seemed embarrassed by the fact. It was then that she spared a glance at the room around her, and found that it was in a much better condition that it had been in that morning, though still messy.

"I can see that you've been working hard," she commented, relaxing a bit. "Want some help?" she offered in an attempt to break the awkward silence that settled over them.

He looked a bit flustered at her offer, but managed to stutter out, "S-sure, if you wouldn't mind." He gave her a shy smile, and she returned it eagerly. The two set to work, cleaning the remainder of the kitchen and living room. Ryou let out a sigh as he held up the couch cushions. "I'm afraid these are going to need a bit of sewing." He dropped the cushions to the floor and wandered over to the hall closet. After rummaging around for a moment, he found what he was looking for. Pulling out the old sewing kit, he made his way back to the living room where Myra was busy vacuuming.

When she saw him, she promptly shut the machine off and gave him a quizzical glance. "What's that for?"

Ryou plopped down on the floor and let out a heavy sigh. "I have to sew the cushions back together, I can't afford to buy new ones," he explained while threading the needle. He was concentrating so hard on his work that he failed to notice his female companion move to sit beside him, at least not until she spoke.

"Why did he do this?" she whispered, startling the poor boy. He jumped a bit at her sudden nearness, but quickly composed himself. He merely shrugged in answer, though he knew the reason why. He was focusing intently on his work, trying his best to ignore her close proximity, though this soon became an impossible task.

He heard her let out a small yawn, and then he felt the weight of her head resting against his shoulder. He stiffened. "Myra?" he asked softly, so softly that he was afraid she hadn't heard him.

"Hmm?" she moaned, scooting closer so that she was leaning completely on him now. She wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly very drowsy, and at the moment, Ryou's shoulder was very comfortable.

He wasn't sure why, but suddenly the words were spilling from his mouth before he was able to stop them. "He did this because I didn't let him have his way."

She shifted against him in such a way that her breath ghosted against the bare skin of his throat when she spoke. "His way with what?" She was still leaning against him, and suddenly he became hyperaware of how close she was.

"With you," he whispered, his face heating up as a blush colored his cheeks as he realized how improper that sounded. He felt the weight of her head leave his shoulder, and as he turned to look at her, he found her staring at him intently, a look of confusion clouding her eyes.

"With me?" At his nod, she continued. "What would he want with me?" She seemed to be a bit more alert now that she had before; though it was apparent she was still rather sleepy.

He shrugged, shaking his head. "I'm not sure, but it couldn't be…virtuous," he blushed harder, wondering if she would catch the meaning behind his words.

A blush of her own colored Myra's cheeks, but she kept eye contact with the boy beside her. She knew that what she was about to say would make her seem foolish, unreasonable, crazy even, but she had to reassure him. "I trust you," she whispered, holding his gaze. "Even if…even if you can't trust yourself not to succumb to Bakura's power." She wasn't sure if her confession would make him feel any better, but she had to tell him.

His chocolate eyes widened in surprise, and unexpectedly he found tears brimming in his eyes and he tried unsuccessfully to blink them away. He looked away, staring down at his hands in his lap as he tried to hide his tears from the girl beside him, though he knew it was silly to do so. It was obvious this girl cared for him, and he was still trying to hide things from her.

He felt a cool hand beneath his chin, pulling his face up until he met jade green eyes that gazed upon him with sympathy and understanding, as well as undying trust. His tears were now flowing freely down his cheeks, and he watched idly as she lifted her other hand and wiped away his tears, and then leaned forward slowly, her hand still gently gripping his chin. His eyes would have widened further if it were possible. Was she going to kiss him? His entire face flushed at the thought.

_No,_ he thought, trying to rationalize what was going on. _She couldn't be, there is no way that she-_ his thoughts were cut off as he felt her warm lips against his cheek, soft against his skin. He felt his face heat up as her lips lingered against his hot skin, and suddenly he had a strong urge to turn his head just enough so that his lips would connect with hers. As soon as he thought it he pushed the thought from his mind, thinking himself absurd.

When she pulled back, he found himself missing the feeling of her soft lips against his skin, and unconsciously leaned toward her before he realized what he was doing and sat up straight. She gave him a bright smile, and he felt a shy smile pulling at his own lips in return. Once he had composed himself, they both set to completing their tasks, neither of them speaking, not wanting to break the comfortable silence.

By the time the entire apartment was in order once again it was nearly time for Myra to leave. The two sat upon the couch in companionable silence, but as time went by Myra found that her earlier questions were welling back up inside her, threatening to spill out. She knew that her questions were what brought her up there, and she didn't want to pass up an opportunity to voice them. This was her chance to get some answers.

"Ryou," she said nonchalantly, focusing on an imaginary spot on the wall on the other side of the room. "Why is Teá so frightened of…Bakura?" She still found it odd that the spirit preferred to go by Ryou's last name.

Her question startled him, and he turned to look at her quizzically. "What brought that up?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"She tried to interrogate me today during lunch," she explained, still not looking at him. "She demanded to know where you were since you weren't at school."

"And?" he asked, not understanding what this had to do with Bakura. She looked at him then, her eyes questioning. She retold everything that the other girl had said to her; how she had refused to hear what it was she had to say on the matter of the spirit possessing the Millennium Ring.

He merely stared at her for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "There's no point in keeping anything from you, is there?" he managed to laugh. At her tentative smile, he allowed himself to relax. And so he told her of everything Bakura had done throughout Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, of how even if he tried to dispose of the item it would always come back to him, and of how his friends were now weary of him. When he had finished the pair simply sat there, both unmoving, and Ryou found himself suddenly anxious.

When she simply nodded and accepted the fact that the spirit wasn't the…best person and that it wasn't Ryou's fault, he was greatly relieved. Looking up at the clock that once again hung on the wall, Myra stood, dusting herself off. "I should get going," she sighed. Ryou looked to the clock as well, and after seeing how late it had become nodded in agreement. He walked her to the door, and the two stood silent.

"Thank you," he smiled as she stepped through his door into the hall outside. "I appreciate the help." In all honesty he did, if she hadn't offered her help he probably would have been up all night tidying his apartment.

"No problem," she smiled, shaking her head. "It was the least I could do for monopolizing your bed last night," she laughed embarrassingly. "Well, goodnight. See you tomorrow." She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek quickly, her lips barely brushing his skin. As she turned to go, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, effectively stopping her in her tracks. She turned back to look at him in confusion.

He took a step forward and used his grip on her wrist to pull her back to him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her against him lightly. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair, lightly squeezing her, "for everything." He held her for a few more fleeting seconds, before pulling back just far enough to plant a delicate kiss to her forehead. Releasing her, he whispered, "Goodnight."

After giving him a stunned yet sweet smile, she turned and made her way down the hall, unaware of Ryou watching her the entire time until she was out of sight. Finally retreating into his apartment and closing the door behind him, he let out a content sigh and leaned against the door for a moment before pushing off it and heading into his room and collapsing onto the freshly made bed. It wasn't until then that he noticed his sheets faintly retained the scent of the girl who had occupied it the night before. Inhaling deeply, he took in the sweet scent, allowing it to soothe him until he finally fell into a deep sleep, his dreams dominated by a girl with shining green eyes.

* * *

_Author's Note: This is the revised version of chapter nine. Hopefully I was able to correct everything. However, if you catch a mistake that I missed, please let me know in a revew or a PM so that I can fix it! Thanks!_


	10. We Meet Again

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC, Myra.**

* * *

The following week passed peacefully. Teá's attitude towards Myra had begun to fade, but now she looked upon her with eyes filled with what seemed to be pity. Honestly, Myra couldn't decide which of the two irritated her more, but she was glad that the almost hostile atmosphere between them had evaporated. Overall, it seemed that the close knit group of friends was growing steadily more comfortable with her presence.

Other than that, the only thing that changed during the week was Ryou's behavior. While she knew he was a shy person, he seemed to be getting embarrassed easier and easier as of late, as well he had been asking to spend more time with her after school and during weekends; whether it included doing homework together or simply relaxing after a long day, not that she minded in the least.

The same applied to today, though Myra couldn't help but feel like there was something different, and was rather weary when her pale friend approached her in the halls before their sixth period class together.

"Myra!" he called excitedly as he hugged her briefly. That was another thing she had noticed lately; he had been rather touchy, which was usually a rarity for him. Now of course he was still tentative in his touches, usually nothing more than a light embrace or a casual brush of hands; nothing that couldn't be considered innocent.

"Yes?" she asked with a smile, returning his friendly gesture.

"Let's walk to class together!" he chirped happily, grabbing her wrist and dragging her down the hall. His sudden enthusiasm startled her, though she had no qualms about it. What she failed to notice, however, was the devious smirk pulling at his lips as he led her away.

* * *

"That was so boring!" the auburn-haired girl whined to the pale boy beside her as they exited the classroom. "Honestly, who _cares_ about proving that two sides of a rectangle are parallel to each other?" she complained in reference to their geometry lesson.

Her companion chuckled at her. "But Myra," he teased, "you use math every day," he quoted their teacher, grinning at the evil look she shot him in return.

"But when am I ever going to use _this?_" she countered, motioning to the worksheet she held in her hand. She watched as Ryou opened his mouth to speak, but when nothing came out and he let out a groan, she knew he had given up the argument. When he turned to her with a look of surrender, she couldn't help but laugh and ruffle his hair playfully. "You're so cute, Ryou," she grinned.

"W-what?" he stammered, his steps faltering as he felt a blush beginning to heat his face.

"You heard me," she teased, knowing that the shy boy wasn't used to such compliments. "I said that you're cute," she repeated as they walked off the school grounds and began their way home. When Myra spared him a secretive glance, she saw that he head was hanging a bit so that his white bangs shielded his eyes.

Had she embarrassed him? Well, she _had_ meant to, but only a little, simply for the sake of seeing him blush. She found it rather adorable, but she hadn't meant to embarrass him so much that he became withdrawn.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "Ryou," she cooed as she stepped in front of him and began to walk backwards so that she could face him. His head lifted only slightly, revealing one of his chocolate orbs to her. "Race you home!" she cried, turning to face forwards and bolting down the sidewalk.

Ryou stood motionless for a few moments, simply watching the retreating form of the running girl. Ever so slowly, he began to laugh; a dark, chilling sound. The smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth was not kind, nor were the words he whispered to himself. "Run, little Myra. I'm coming for you."

* * *

Myra was panting lightly by the time she came to a stop outside the apartment complex, her face was slightly flushed and her long hair was now a tangled mess. She leaned lightly against the front doors before turning back to look behind her.

No one.

Had he not followed her? She let out a sigh, realizing that her friend didn't seem to be in the best of moods, and decided that it was probably better to leave him be, rather than go searching for him. Now in a rather grim mood herself, she made her way through the hall slowly, her thoughts off in a distant place. In fact, she was so absorbed in her own world that she failed to notice the creak of the front doors opening behind her, nor the footsteps echoing down the empty hallway.

Suddenly, hands were upon her. She froze when she felt the cold, strong fingers grip her; one hand covering her eyes and the other going to cover her mouth. "Guess who," a voice hissed in her ear, the person's breath ghosting across the flesh of her exposed throat, causing her to involuntarily shiver. The hand that covered her lips was lifted, and before she had a chance to utter a scream, she felt fingers gripping her neck. They worked quickly and efficiently, easily finding the two pressure points located on every person's neck and gripping just tight enough to render her unconscious.

As Myra's world went black, she began to fall backwards, but was easily caught by the male behind her. The figure wrapped an arm around her waist, catching her easily as she slumped against him. A low, sinister chuckle escaped his lips as he smirked deviously. He removed his hand that covered her eyes and slipped it beneath her knees, scooping her up bridal style and carrying her up to the apartment that belonged to his host.

He knew that his Light would disapprove, though the fact did nothing to stop him. In fact, it was partially the reason why he was doing it. When he reached Ryou's apartment, he quickly opened the door, making sure to lock it behind him before setting her on the couch and removing her backpack and placing it on the floor.

For a brief moment, he just stood where he was, hovering over the unconscious girl and observing her. He could clearly see why his host had taken an interest in her, though he wondered just how far that interest went. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a plan began to formulate in his head, one that he knew would be a great way to mess with the minds of both his Light and the girl.

He moved towards her, leaning down so that his face was just inches from hers, and at that moment the memory of him kissing her surfaced in his mind, though he wasn't sure why. To be honest, he wasn't sure why he had even done it. For a moment he glared at her sleeping face, wondering what would happen if he were to wake her up just then, but decided against it. Moving once again, he lifted the upper half of her body so that he could sit where her head had just been, and then lay her back down, this time her head resting on his lap.

He grinned as he rested one of his elbows on the arm of the couch, his cheek cradled in the palm of his hand as his free hand began to twirl strands of Myra's long auburn hair around his fingers absently. _And so the wait begins,_ he thought, his eyes revealing his dark amusement.

* * *

Gradually, Myra began to regain consciousness; her senses slowly coming back into focus. When her eyelids finally lifted, revealing her jade eyes, the first thing she saw was the blurry figure of someone hovering over her; someone with long white hair. "Ryou?" she asked, lifting her hands to rub her eyes.

"Not quite," a voice answered; a voice too rough to be that of her friend. As her vision cleared, the figure came into focus.

"B-Bakura!" she stuttered in surprise, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping open a bit. The grin he gave her was enough of an answer. "What do you want?" she growled, trying to push herself up, and it was then that she noticed that she had been resting in his lap, causing a deep blush to color her cheeks.

He grinned, knowing that his plan was already taking off nicely, and he had yet to do anything; the rosy color flooding her cheeks was proof. He smirked, using the hand that had been playing with her hair to pull her head back down by means of fisting it into her thick locks at the base of her neck. "Stay, there's no reason to move," he grinned, pointedly avoiding her question. He rather enjoyed the soft gasp of pain that escaped her lips, and he found that he wanted to hear it again.

"Let go," she whispered, squirming against his grip, though it got her nowhere. She squinted a bit as tears of pain began to leak from her eyes, and it was then that she noticed how similar he and Ryou looked, yet how they were complete opposites. While Ryou was shy, kind, and gentle, this man was not; he was menacing, seemingly sadistic, and rough.

Two personalities in one person; two souls sharing one body.

The concept was hard to believe, inconceivable even, but she knew it to be true. How could she not? She had experienced both of the personalities, both of the souls that inhabited the single body. She would only be denying the truth if she tried to convince herself otherwise.

"I don't think I will," his voice broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention back to him. The grin that was plastered to his pale face was one she wanted to smack off, but she knew that if she dared to try, he would do something even worse to her in return. So, instead she decided to lie still, though she chose to look away from the face of her captor. As she began to turn her head to the side, it was harshly yanked back by Bakura. "I never said to look away," he growled, his voice low and threatening.

Ah, so he was a control freak; she would have to keep that in mind if she wanted to keep her hair attached to her head. She glared up at him, her gaze piercing and almost hostile as she gave in to his demand.

"That's much better," he cooed, though it was still obvious that he was taunting her. "Why would you want to hide that pretty face from me, Myra?" he asked, her name sliding off his tongue in a way that made her shudder unpleasantly.

Though she tried her best to restrain herself, the words slipped from her mouth before she had a chance to stop them, "_Because_ it's you, Bakura," she hissed, venom dripping from her words.

He grinned wickedly, giving her hair another sharp tug and leaning his face down so that it hovered just mere inches above hers. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you," he warned, thoroughly enjoying the moment. "You are completely at my mercy," he smirked.

"Not quite," she said in return, bringing one of her knees up to collide with the side of his head. He let out a groan, his grip on her hair releasing in his surprise. Not wanting to waste her opportunity to escape, she scrambled away from him, stumbling a bit as she made her way to the door. As she fumbled with the lock, she was suddenly slammed against the hard wood of the door.

Bakura had thrown himself against her, effectively pinning her in place and grabbing hold of her arms and wrenching them behind her back.

"Foolish girl," he hissed, pressing himself against her back to help keep her in place, his grip on her wrists beginning to burn. She could feel his hot breath against her flesh, causing chills to race across her skin. "Are you _trying_ to provoke me?" he asked, giving her wrists a hard squeeze as if to emphasize his question

She growled lowly to herself, though she knew he was right; it was better not to instigate him, as she was unsure what the extent of his patience was, and after the stories Ryou had told her, she didn't want to find out. As much as she loathed the idea, she forced herself to relax her posture and take deep, calming breaths.

"Leave me be," she whispered, hoping to appear calm, though her slight trembling revealed to him that she was anything but.

He chuckled; a sound that she was beginning to detest. When she felt his long hair brush her cheek, she realized just how close he was, and that the position they were in was rather…suggestive. She quickly became embarrassed, though she would be dammed if she let him see it.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," he grinned, pressing harder against her. He had already sensed that she was becoming flustered even though she tried to hide it from him. Her trembling and the slight shakiness in her voice revealed it to him, and he couldn't help but take advantage of it.

What he had just told her was a lie, of course. It was very possible for him to leave her alone, to never interfere with her life again; but it was just too much fun, especially since his Light had taken such a strong interest in her, though she didn't know it yet. This was a game to him, as was everything else; in this case it was his Host and the girl pinned between him and the door that were the pawns. The game: to see just how far he could push them, to throw his own little twists into their relationship and observe their reactions. The prize: amusement.

It was as simple as that. Unlike the 'games' he played in the past, there was no elaborate scheme behind this one.

"Why not?" a soft voice drew him from his thoughts, causing him to look to the figure he had pinned. He smirked evilly, thoroughly enjoying the situation.

"It's simple, really," he answered, his voice low and sounding almost menacing. Suddenly, he released her wrists, only to grab onto her shoulders instead and flipping her around so that her back was against the door and she was now facing him. He let his hands remain on her shoulders, though her hands were now free. Yet strangely, she didn't try to push him away; it was as if she was afraid, or that maybe she had learnt her lesson and had given up. "You want to be friends with Ryou, right?" he asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously, as if challenging her to prove him wrong.

She nodded meekly. "Yes," came her whispered answer as she gazed openly into his eyes, her own orbs shining with what he hoped were unshed tears.

"Then you get me as well," he whispered, leaning closer. "Ryou and I come together. If you want one of us, then you have to deal with the other as well." He moved his hands from her shoulders to rest on the door on each side of her head, trapping her between his arms. At the look of fear that sparked in her eyes he grinned wickedly before closing the distance between them. His lips crashed against hers with bruising force, causing her to let out a whimper that he delighted in. What made it even more enjoyable was the fact that his Light had yet to do this very thing, and he had already accomplished it twice.

Myra's eyes widened in shock, and then clenched shut when she realized what was happening. _No,_ she thought to herself desperately. _I don't want this!_ She placed her hands against his chest and managed to muster up enough strength to push him roughly away. He stumbled back from her a few steps in surprise, but soon regained his composure. He leered at her, the light in his eyes causing shudders to race through her.

She moved away from the door, knowing that if she stayed there much longer she would only be setting herself up for another chance for Bakura to pin her. Stumbling away towards the living room turned out to be a mistake, as she was suddenly swept up by a pair of arms that encircled her waist.

"No! Let me go!" she cried, struggling to escape the grip of her captor. Without warning, she was swung up and over Bakura's shoulder and carried away. She thrashed against him, her fists beating on his back to no avail.

Suddenly she was dropped upon something soft, and as she stared up at the ceiling she recognized where she was; Ryou's bedroom. She let out a startled gasp as Bakura appeared above her, that smug grin still on his face. She wanted more than anything to wipe that smirk off his face.

"What's the matter? Frightened?" he asked as he crawled over her and sat upon her hips, crossing his arms over his chest.

"N-no," she stuttered out, not wanting to show him the fear he so obviously wished to see from her.

He let out a dark laugh. "Really now?" he questioned as he leaned forward a bit. "What about if I do this?" he challenged as he allowed one of his hands to sneak under the bottom hem of her shirt, his cool fingers brushing against her heated skin. She stiffened when she felt his fingers against the flesh of her stomach.

What was he doing?

She didn't want to find out.

When he felt her tense but received no other response, he continued, sliding his hand up a little higher, just above her navel. He wanted to see how far he could go before she stopped him; test her limits, so to speak.

She began to squirm beneath him as she grew more and more uncomfortable. What could she do? She couldn't lash out at him; he would only return whatever blow she delivered with at least twice the force, and on top of that Ryou would feel the pain of whatever damage she caused when he regained control of his body. She couldn't do that to him.

Before she knew it, Bakura's hands retreated from beneath her shirt, only to move on to the buttons that secured it shut. He already had the first two undone and was moving on to the third by the time she realized what was going on.

"No," she whispered, raising her hands to grip his in an attempt to put a stop to his movements. "Please, just leave me alone," she whimpered, hoping against hope that he would listen. Despite her efforts, tears had begun to leak from her eyes and a few had trailed down her cheeks.

The boy above her grinned and leaned closer. She thought he was going to kiss her again and clenched her eyes shut and turned her head away in an attempt to avoid his lips. Unknowingly, he hadn't been meaning to kiss her mouth, and by turning her head to the side as she had exposed her slender neck to him; the part of her body he _had _been going for.

She let out a surprised yelp as she felt his harsh lips against her neck, nipping and sucking lightly at her flesh. She struggled to gain control over her breathing as well as her tears, but it became that much harder when he began to suck harshly and then bite down into her skin, hard enough that she thought he would draw blood. The painful shriek she let out was enough to let him know that he had accomplished what he had set out to do.

Sitting back up, he gazed in amusement at the girl beneath him and her disheveled appearance. She met his eyes, and as soon as he saw the frightened and pained look reflected in her orbs he knew his job was done; at least for the moment.

"I think you've had enough torment for now," he laughed as he saw fresh tears spring into her eyes. "But don't worry," he said in mock concern. "You'll see me again," he promised with an evil glint in his mahogany eyes and another menacing laugh.

Myra shivered from his ominous words as well as the cool air that brushed along her exposed skin. When she felt the atmosphere around her begin to shift, she immediately knew the cause of it; Bakura was gone.

She tentatively opened her eyes, and staring back at her were a pair of shocked chocolate orbs; confusion and some other emotion she couldn't identify lingering there as well.

"Ryou," she choked, trying to conceal her tears from him even though he had already seen them. She had never been so happy to see the snowy-haired boy.

The pale boy slowly lifted a hand to her cheek, wiping away her tears gently, and when she leaned into his touch with a relieved sigh he felt a sudden surge of happiness that she was comfortable with him touching her, though he knew that at the moment that wasn't what he should be thinking about. "Myra," he whispered, a feeling of immense sadness washing over him as he took in her condition.

Her hair was mussed and tangled, her shirt partially undone and revealing a large amount of skin, which in turn caused his cheeks to flame with a hot blush. There were tear streaks on her cheeks, revealing that she had been crying for some time, and worst of all, there was a giant bruise on the side of her neck. He frowned as his hand trailed from her cheek to the offending mark, noting how dark in shade it was already. It looked like she had been bit.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, and before she even replied he knew the answer, but he just had to hear it for himself.

She had managed to regain enough of her composure to speak clearly through her tears. "Bakura," she answered.

He knew it; he knew the day would come when his Yami finally decided to try and ruin the friendship he had built with the kind-hearted girl.

"Ryou?" he heard her voice cut through his thoughts. He nodded, showing that he was listening. "Could you…um…could you get off me?" she asked, rather embarrassed for having to point out their position to him. His eyes widened as he looked down and saw the rather intimate position there were in, and he quickly scrambled off her.

"Sorry," he muttered, bowing his head to try and hide his growing blush as well as his shame at letting his other half have so much control. _She must hate me now_, he thought to himself with a sigh of disappointment, though he was soon torn out of his thoughts of self-pity at losing another friend by a sudden weight against him. He looked down to see Myra's head buried in his chest and her arms winding around him. He felt her body trembling against his, and he instantly wrapped his arms around her in return and rested his chin atop her head. "I'm so sorry," he murmured, holding her a little tighter.

"It's not your fault," she answered, her hands gripping the back of his shirt tightly. "_You_ weren't the one who did it, I don't blame you for anything," she sighed. She felt his chest rise and fall as he took a deep breath and begin to rock her in his arms tenderly.

"Thank you," he whispered so softly that he thought she may not hear him, but when she nodded her head once he knew she had. So the pair sat like that for a long while; him rocking her as they remained in silence after her experience with Bakura. Eventually, she fell asleep in his arms, and when he noticed he reclined her back so that she was lying upon his bed.

He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and continued to comfort her by stroking her hair. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. He looked away from the sleeping girl in his bed and over to the clock that he had recently hung up in his room. He gasped when he saw how late it had become, and he knew that Myra would certainly be in trouble with her mother if she didn't return home. He glanced back at her again; he didn't have the heart to wake her.

Letting out a soft sigh he rose from the bed and began to walk away, but was stopped when a soft hand shot out and gripped his. Turning back, he saw that Myra hadn't been as deeply asleep as he had first thought. "Stay," her voice came to him in a whisper as her sleepy jade-colored eyes met his.

"I'll be right back," he assured her with a small smile. She considered his words for a moment, and then nodded and released her hold on his hand. He ventured into the living room and quickly found her backpack. With a bit of guilt at going through her things, he rummaged around in her bag until he found her cell phone. Flipping it open, he scrolled through the few contacts she had listed until he found the one labeled 'Mom' and opened the message screen.

Typing out a quick message to her mother, and making sure to leave it rather vague, he shut the phone off after sending the message and tucked the device safely back into her bag. He sighed deeply as he thought of what they would have to deal with the next day.

He came back into the room to find that his companion was still awake; waiting for him. She smiled weakly when she saw him, and he returned it as best he could in their circumstances. She patted the small area of the bed beside her in invitation and he blushed furiously. "A-are you sure?" he stuttered nervously. At her nod of approval, he climbed into the other side of the bed and drew the blanket up so that it covered both of them up; Myra to her shoulders and Ryou to the middle of his chest.

He was quite surprised thought not unhappy when she turned over to face him and buried her face in his chest once again. "Goodnight, Ryou," she yawned, finally exhausted enough to allow herself to fall asleep.

"Goodnight, "Myra," he whispered back, tentatively draping an arm across her waist and placing a tender kiss to her forehead before he too drifted into sleep.

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_Author's Note: Edited version of chapter ten. If you catch any mistakes/typos that I may have missed let me know so that I can correct them please!_


	11. Meet The Parents

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my character, Myra.**

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The air inside the small apartment was chilly during the early morning, though it was nothing a blanket couldn't easily fend off. Ryou sighed in contentment as he wrapped the blanket tighter around him and snuggled closer to the warm object he held in his arms. When he felt the object in his arms squirm against him in return, his eyes flew open in surprise.

His vision was blurry at first, but as he grew less groggy and more focused, he realized just what he was cuddling with; Myra. His face immediately began to heat up as a light blush colored his cheeks as the memories from the night before steadily came back to him. He sighed irritably and ran a hand through his tangled hair as he recalled last night's events. How had he let his control slip so easily? He wasn't sure, but something he _was_ sure of was that he was far more than lucky that Myra had been so understanding; and that was something he was grateful for.

He glanced down at the girl curled against him, her head resting on his shoulder and one of her hands resting on his chest; he smiled down at her, not wanting to wake her so soon. However, he noticed that he had become uncomfortably warm with her extra body head beneath the blanket, so he casually tossed it off without a second thought.

He soon came to regret it.

Apparently, he hadn't been the only one to find the extra heat an annoyance; as sometime during the night, Myra had unconsciously stripped herself of her uniform as a way to cool herself down, leaving her in only her bra and panties. Ryou felt his blush intensify immensely, setting his cheeks aflame and coloring them a lovely shade of red. He gulped nervously as he allowed his eyes to roam over her.

Her bare legs were entangled with his, and the arm attached to the shoulder she was lying upon was wrapped around the upper portion of her body so that his hand rested on the exposed flesh of her back. The entire front side of her body was exposed to him, treating his eyes to a wonderful, yet shameful treat.

He knew he shouldn't look; that he should turn away, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the alluring sight before him. Yes, he knew it was wrong, he knew that if she caught him she would probably hate him, but at the moment he wasn't in his right mind. He was acutely aware of the feelings that had already begun to bloom for her, and he was even more so now. Never had he had someone trust him as much as she did, and he wanted to hold onto that trust as long as he could.

Slowly so as not to disturb her, he began to unwind his arm from around her and lay her upon a pillow; which left both his arms free. He gazed down at her steadily, biting his bottom lip and trying to hold back the urge to touch her; to run his hands through her hair and feel her flesh beneath his fingertips.

The urge was too strong.

He reluctantly gave into his temptation. He hovered over her sleeping form, reaching out a shaking hand as his breathing became shallower. Just inches away from touching her, he stopped.

He couldn't do this; not to Myra, his best, if not only, real friend. She was the one person who had stuck beside him and trusted him even after learning his dark secret. No, he couldn't do this to her.

_Coward._ The thought was not his own. No, the voice that echoed in his head belonged to someone else; someone who he did not want to deal with at the moment.

_Shut up,_ he commanded, though he knew that his Yami was not the sort to take demands from anyone, least of all him.

The voice laughed at him, making him inwardly cringe at the dark amusement apparent in his Yami's tone. _Oh, come now, Hikari, too scared to give in to your desires?_ He was mocking him.

_I can't! I won't do that to her!_ He shook his head furiously.

The voice scoffed at him. _Of course you can. _Ryou could almost picture his Yami glaring at him with his arms crossed over his chest, challenging him; testing him. _All you have to do it reach out a little farther. She's asleep, what she doesn't know won't hurt her._ Try as he might, the young boy was unable to block out the voice that was compelling him, and he found himself beginning to listen to that dark, rough voice. He reached out, his fingers finally making contact with the smooth skin of her shoulder. _Yes, that's it, go on._ The voice urged him forward, and as if in a trance, he complied.

Using one hand to hold himself up, he hovered over her, his free hand slowly stroking the flesh of her shoulder and making its way down her bare arm before moving back up to run through her soft hair. He cupped her cheek tenderly, marveling at its softness before moving lower to trace the bite marks that had formed around the dark bruise on her neck. He glared at the offending mark, his chocolate eyes narrowing dangerously in an uncharacteristic resemblance to his Yami.

His hand seemed to move of its own accord, trailing from her throat down between her breasts and over her stomach, finally coming to rest on her hip, his fingers just skimming over the elastic of her panties. He leaned forward so that his face was no more than a mere inch apart from hers; he was so close now that if she were to wake, he knew he would be in trouble. The nervous youth allowed his head to drop, closing the distance that remained between him and the sleeping girl.

Time seemed to move very slowly then, and as he brushed his pale lips over hers, a shudder of pleasure raced through him. He gasped inaudibly; this was nothing he had ever felt before, and he craved more. Gently, he added a very light amount of pressure to the chaste kiss, hoping that she would not wake and catch him. However, what she did next utterly startled him.

Though she was still slumbering, he felt a slight pressure pushing back against him, returning the kiss. Even though the girl beneath him was unaware of what was going on in the waking world, it seemed as if some instinctual force was driving her to respond. Whatever the cause, he decided not to pay attention to _what_ was causing her to kiss back, but simply the fact that she _was_.

When she shifted again beneath him, her lips opening a miniscule amount, he used his tongue to push past them and cautiously explore the inner cavern of her sweet mouth. He couldn't help the small moan that escaped him at the feeling. She tasted so sweet, and her mouth against his was soft and yielding; though the cause of that was most likely because she was asleep.

Reluctantly, he separated from her. His eyes were soft and glowing with affection for the girl in his bed, yet at the same time, if one were to look hard enough, they would find the distinct signs of guilt and shame present in his chocolate orbs. He let out a soft sigh before lying back down beside her, his arm draped over her hip and his head resting on her chest, deciding that he didn't want to wake her when she was in her current state of dress.

Unfortunately, she had other plans. She began to stir beneath him, showing the obvious signs of waking. He stiffened as thoughts raced through his head as to how he was to avoid being caught in such an embarrassing position. Nothing came to mind, so he did the only thing that he could; he forced his body to relax and closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

Slowly Myra's eyes opened as she woke, revealing slightly glazed jade irises. She stretched her arms above her head and stifled the yawn that threatened to escape. As she went to push herself up, she noticed the weight pressing down against her chest and looked down to see a mass of tangled white hair attached to a pale face lying upon her chest. She stiffened at first, thinking the person to be Bakura, but then she noticed that the person's features were much softer, revealing him to be Ryou.

She let out a relieved sigh. She put one hand behind her to support herself, while the other was free to thread through his snowy-white tresses. She ran her fingers through his soft hair contentedly, enjoying the feeling of his locks slipping through her fingers. Apparently she wasn't the only one who was satisfied with the action; as Ryou let out a peaceful sigh that turned into a breathy moan when her nails lightly raked his scalp. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips.

When the boy shifted against her she noticed that as his silky hair tickled her flesh; and as she looked down she realized her state of undress and blushed madly. She began to chew on her bottom lip thoughtfully as she contemplated how she was to get out of this situation. She didn't have the heart to wake the sleeping boy up, but at the same time she knew that there was no other way. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, she placed a tentative hand on the sleeping Ryou's shoulder and shook him lightly.

"Ryou," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Wake up." When he didn't move she shook him a little harder. "Come on Ryou, I need you to wake up," she almost pleaded, a slight whine in her voice.

Ryou groaned in response; half to himself in disappointment at the moment ending so soon, and half to try and form a convincing act. He slowly lifted his head and blinked his chocolate eyes a few times for effect. He gave his companion a lazy smile, hoping to appear groggy. "Morning," he said, pretending not to notice the position they were in. He was quite pleased when he saw the pink tone tinting her cheeks.

She smiled shyly in return. "Morning," she replied, her tone revealing none of her embarrassment. "Um…Ryou, would you mind getting off me?" she said, similar to what she had said the night before.

"Huh?" he looked down, partially in show, and partially to just get one last look if he had to move. "S-sorry," he stuttered, his cheeks flaming, though in genuine embarrassment. He pushed himself off her and turned his back to her, trying to give her some privacy after what he had done while she slept.

She shuffled around behind him, retrieving her scattered garments of clothing from where they lay. She dressed hurriedly, her clothes hanging off her awkwardly by the time she was done.

"Okay, I'm done," her voice came from behind him. He turned to look at her with a soft smile, blushing harder when he saw the way her clothes seemed to hang off her in a rather provocative manner. "What time is it?" she yawned.

"About ten," he answered after a quick glance at the clock. When he saw the shocked look on her face he felt the need to explain, "It's Saturday," he said. She visibly relaxed at that.

"I think I should head home," she said, a faint smile on her lips as she blushed a bit, though at what she wasn't sure. He nodded, automatically deciding that he would walk her home, even though her apartment was just downstairs.

They walked in silence, both of them still blushing, though neither new quite why the other was. Their hands grazed each others as they walked, causing both of the youths to flush harder.

When Myra inserted her key into the lock of her front door and opened it, she was met with quite the surprise. Inside her small living room sat her mother, who would usually be at work during this time of day, and just past her mother sat a figure that she didn't think she would see again; her father.

Her mouth dropped open in astonishment. Both her parents turned to look at her; her mother with a glare and her father with a surprised stare. What was he doing here? He hadn't come to ask for them to move back, had he? She found that she disliked the idea, especially not that she had grown used to her new life and befriended Ryou.

"Where have you been?" her mother snapped, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her further inside the apartment. Instinctively, she latched onto Ryou's hand, dragging her along with him, who out of habit shut the door behind him, accidentally slamming it. The loud noise he created was what drew the adult's attention to him, and he fidgeted under their gaze. "Who are you?" Myra's mother asked, still gripping her daughter's wrist and still glaring, though now it was directed at him.

He opened his mouth to answer, though no words came out. He was in the spotlight; something he was not used to, and he faltered in his search for words. Luckily, Myra answered her mother's question. "He is a friend of mine, Mom," she sighed, tearing her wrist from her mother's grip.

Her mother sneered; normally she didn't act like this, but when it came to her daughter disappearing for a night with no explanation save for an incredibly vague text message, she was none too pleased. "Oh?" her mother answered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is _he_ the one you ran off with last night?" she inquired, trying to sound intimidating even though she knew that her daughter had never been frightened in the least by her. At that her father rose from his seat on the couch, coming to stand beside her mother. Is this why he had come? Because she had vanished for a night?

He leveled his gaze with Ryou, out of her parents he was the one who was able to seem cool and collected on the outside, but at the same time could be much more intimidating without meaning to. "What is your name young man?" her father asked, his voice revealing none of the fury that she knew he was feeling.

"R-Ryou," he answered, his fingers gripping hers a little harder out of nervousness, "Ryou Bakura."

"I see," he said, tapping his chin with his index finger in thought. He took a step closer, causing Ryou to visibly flinch back, and Myra did not fail to notice to smirk that briefly pulled at the corners of her father's lips at his reaction. "And what is it, exactly, that you did with my daughter last night, Ryou?" her father questioned, taking another step closer.

The shy teen floundered for an answer, her cheeks burning a bright red, both out of embarrassment and a slight hint of fear. "She...stayed at my apartment," he answered, hanging his snowy head. "I live right above here." The look of pure horror that appeared on both her parent's faces was a bad sign, and Myra had a feeling in her gut that this would not end well.

"It's not what you think!" Myra quickly cut in before either of her parents could speak again. Still holding onto Ryou's hand, she stepped slightly in front of him, as if she could protect him from the scrutinizing stares of her parents.

"Then what is is?" he mother replied skeptically, her hands on her hips and the look in her eyes clearly saying that she didn't believe a word that her daughter had said.

She took a deep breath, wondering how she was going to explain what had transpired to her parents. She knew she was going to have to lie to them a little bit, twist the story around so that it would make sense to them.

"He...helped me last night," she started, unsure of how else to begin. "I was having an issue with a boy on my way home," she said with a blush, throwing her companion a meaningful glance. "Ryou helped me out, he brought me here, but I didn't want to be alone, so he took me upstairs to his apartment to wait until Mom got home," she was lying through her teeth, and she knew it;she just hoped that her parents didn't. "I ended up falling asleep, and, well," she shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"I didn't have the heart to wake her," Ryou cut in softly. Both her parent's gazes snapped to the soft-spoken boy.

She noticed that her mother's glare had lessened a bit, and a faint grin was pulling at her lips. Though she knew her mother was still upset and what she had done, she also knew that she was a hopeless romantic, and that she probably found the scenario rather sweet. Her father, on the other hand, still wasn't pleased.

"That's _all_ you did?" he asked, his voice low and threatening.

"Y-yes, Sir," the teen answered, waving his free hand defensively. He threw a glance at Myra, his chocolate orbs softening at the sight of her slightly distressed state. "I would not do anything to Myra that she doesn't want me to," he said, his voice soft as he gazed at the girl in question, warm affection shining in his eyes, though she didn't see it as she was too preoccupied watching her parents carefully.

Her mother, however, _did_ notice the look that the youth gave her daughter, and despite her earlier suspicions she felt that the emotion shining in his eyes was genuine, and her slight glare disappeared altogether. She uncrossed her arms, nudging her ex-husband in the ribs and shaking her head, a soft smile on her face.

Even though her mother had yet to say anything, Myra found herself letting out a soft sigh of relief and smiling back at Ryou. Suddenly, her father's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Myra," he started, letting out a sigh and raking a hand through his hair. "What do you say to coming and staying the weekend with me next weekend?" he asked. "You can see your old friends again," he offered. "And it would be nice to spend some time with you again, after all...this," he said motioning around him, referring to the divorce. "happened." Her mother turned her face away at that.

She bit her bottom lip, thinking over the offer. "Well, yeah, but...," she trailed off, glancing behind her at Ryou. She wondered if it would be alright to leave him alone with no one but himself and Bakura. She shivered at the thought of the things that the spirit could do to him while he was alone. She really did _not_ want to come home to find Ryou's apartment trashed again, or worse, find _Ryou_ in the same condition.

Her meaning did not escape her mother, who shot her father a meaningful glance. Even though the two were no longer romantically involved, they still had to remain on good terms with each other; simply for Myra's sake if nothing else. Her father sighed, knowing what his ex-wife was implying.

"Ryou," he said, addressing the male teen now. "Would you like to come along with us? I'm sure Myra would like to introduce you to some of her friends back home and show you around," he offered, although a bit begrudgingly.

Both teens brightened at the offer. Myra whirled around, grabbing his other hand to hold as well. "Please come!" she said excitedly, her jade eyes brightening and a smile breaking out across her face.

He was a bit taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm, but smiled back none the less. How could he resist when she so desperately wanted him to come along? He couldn't; that's all there was to it. "Of course," he answered, his smile growing and the familiar feeling of a blush staining his cheeks heating his face. He watched cheerfully as his friend gratefully thanked her father, not bothering to hide her excitement.

Thankfully, the rest of the day went without much event. The two youths made arrangements with Myra's father as to when their visit would take place, and by the end of the day both were quite excited. Myra had walked Ryou back up to his apartment, smiling the entire way.

"I'm glad that's over with," Ryou sighed as he unlocked his door. "I don't know what I would have done if things hadn't gone the way they did," he admitted with a blush. He certainly didn't want her parents hating him for a misunderstanding. She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but next weekend will be great, I promise," she smiled. He nodded in answer. Then silence reigned between them, though neither of them found it awkward. Myra was the one to break the silence. "Well, goodnight then," she said with a yawn. She turned as if to leave, but stopped when she felt a gentle hand around her wrist, drawing her back. She knew it was Ryou, and she turned back to him with a quizzical look.

He said nothing, only pulled her closer to him, enveloping her in his arms in a light embrace. "Goodnight," she whispered against her hair, placing a soft kiss to her temple and giving her a light squeeze before releasing her. He watched her leave silently before shutting his door and heading to bed himself. He had a lot to think over, and he knew that he would not sleep that night.

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_Author's Note: Alright well first off I'm sorry this took so long to finish . I've been busy and it's hard to find the time to write anymore; the only reason this was finished now was because of the insistance of a certain reviewer. (Side note: If you bother me enough for an update when I'm being too slow I'll probably get it done faster). _

_Anyway, so now you will begin to see what Myra's parents are really like, as well as her friend's and the area she used to live in. Exposition! Yay! Bleh. _

_Review, let me know what you think ^^ _

_I'll try to update faster this time too =]_


	12. Arrival

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own my character, Myra.**

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The sun had just begun to rise over the sleeping Domino City, and already there was someone pounding insistently on Ryou's door, rousing him from his sleep. He groaned and childishly pulled the pillow over his head, trying in vain to block out the noise. When the knocking persisted, he finally gave up, and with a sigh heaved himself out of bed and dragged himself tiredly through his apartment and to the front door.

He cracked it open, poking his snowy head out to see who was there, his chocolate eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Good morning, Ryou!" a female voice chirped. He blinked slowly, trying to clear his blurry vision. He wasn't surprised to find the recent object of his affection standing outside his door, already dressed and wide awake. She smiled brightly at him, her eyes dancing with a playful light. Before he had a chance to respond she pushed the door open farther and pushed him back inside, stepping in herself and closing the door behind her.

Not that he minded her coming inside, but he was curious as to the motive behind her actions. "What are you doing here so early?" he asked with a yawn, stretching his arms above his head, causing his shirt to lift up a bit, exposing the pale flesh of his stomach for the briefest of seconds.

"Did you forget what day it is?" she teased, placing her hands on her hips and smirking at him. He paused for a moment, scratching the back of his head and wracking his memory for whatever it was that was so important that he would be foolish to forget. When he came up empty he simply shrugged, stifling another yawn. She laughed at him then; not tauntingly or cruelly, but an affectionate, warm laugh that brought heat flooding into his cheeks. "We're going to my father's for the weekend, he's picking us up today, remember?" she asked.

Now he certainly felt silly for forgetting something so important, and he mentally face-palmed. "You're not a morning person, are you?" she asked, stepping closer and taking his hand, leading him back to his room.

"Nope," he answered, smiling as much as he could for how tired he was. The past week had been exhausting, and he was beyond tired. He hadn't done anything particularly strenuous, but mentally he was drained. The effort of trying to hold back Bakura as much as he could combined with trying to figure out what he feelings for Myra were had taken its toll on him, and honestly he just wanted to sleep. "What time is he picking us up?" he asked through a yawn.

"In an hour," she answered, pushing him into the bathroom. "Hurry and shower," she instructed, cutting him off before he could say anything. "I'll pack some clothes for you, okay?" she asked, smiling and tilting her head. He opened his mouth to answer, but then thought better of it and simply nodded. She shot him another smile before going to the next room to pack.

He shut the door, being sure to lock it and turned the shower on, stripping as he waited for the water to warm. He was a bit anxious as to how this weekend trip would turn out, and he could only hope that nothing would go wrong. He rushed through his shower, not wanting to be late and make Myra's father wait. Once he had finished, he wrapped a fuzzy white towel around his waist and stepped out, quietly making his way to his room.

He found that Myra was still there, just finishing packing his belongings into a suitcase she had probably found in his closet. He watched her silently for a moment, and was strangely intrigued as he watched her perform this rather domestic task with an air of excitement about her. She jumped suddenly, as if just realizing that he was there.

He watched as her eyes widened as she took in his state of dress, a blush blooming on her cheeks in embarrassment. She diverted her eyes from his bare chest and towel clad waist to his smiling face framed by his wet snowy hair. There was an awkward silence for a moment, broken only by Myra finally rising to her feet.

"I'll be in the living room," she said softly as she passed him rather quickly, as if she were in a hurry. _Odd,_ he thought to himself. He shrugged, deciding she just must have been embarrassed. He stepped into his room and shut the door behind him. He looked at what was left in his closet, which wasn't much considering he didn't own very much to begin with. He pulled out a pair of light blue jeans and his blue and white striped shirt, pulling the garments on quickly and towel drying his hair. He grabbed the suitcase and headed out to the living room where he found Myra lounging idly on his couch.

She glanced up at him when he entered the room, and a small frown marred her features before it was replaced with a small smile. She stood and walked towards him, ruffling his already messy hair as she passed. He lifted a pale hand to his hair, trying his best to straighten it out. She returned with a long black trench coat draped over her arm. He flinched when he saw it. It was the one that Bakura had insisted on him purchasing, threatening to steal it otherwise.

"It gets cold in the country," she explained, handing the coat over to him. He took it from her with a nod. "Alright, ready to go?" she asked, her jade eyes alight with excitement.

He gave her a soft smile, "Yeah," he answered, picking up the suitcase once again and following her out the front door, being sure to lock it behind him.

The pair waited for Myra's father to arrive in her apartment, her mother sitting across from them at the dining room table. She insisted on questioning poor Ryou about anything that she could think of, and it got to the point that Myra had to tell the older woman to knock it off. Ryou's obvious expression of relief was enough to let her know that he was grateful.

Their wait wasn't long, and Ryou almost jumped out of his skin when a harsh knock sounded at the door. Myra jumped up and raced to the door to answer it, throwing the door open to reveal her father standing on the other side. She grinned widely at him, and in return he ruffled her hair affectionately and smiled warmly.

"Ready to go?" he asked, looking first at her and then over her shoulder at Ryou who was still sitting at the table. Both teens nodded in answer, the male of the two so nervous he could hardly keep still. He picked up the bag that Myra had packed for him as well as her own bag and carried them to the door.

"Thank you for inviting me, Sir," Ryou said politely, hoping that somehow he would be able to erase the man's first impression of him. The last thing he needed was Myra's father thinking he was some perverted boy preying on his daughter.

_No, that would be me,_ Bakura's mocking voice echoed in his mind. He mentally growled, squinting his eyes shut and gritting his teeth to refrain from voicing his retort aloud. Unfortunately, his grimace didn't go unnoticed.

"Is there something wrong, young man?" the voice of Myra's father sounded, though didn't sound as if her were really concerned. He could still hear Bakura cackling at him in his mind, and practically had to force himself not to visibly show it.

He met Myra's eyes first, but only for a brief moment, though it was enough for her to determine the cause of his earlier expression. "No, Sir," he answered, faking a smile that Myra was able to see right through. Her father nodded, motioning with his hand for them to follow him out.

"Bye, Mom!" Myra called over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her. Her mother's answering smile was all she saw before the door shut behind her. The two teens walked in silence down the hall of the apartment building, neither wanting to draw the elder man's attention towards them just yet.

The trio approached the car that waited for them outside the complex, its engine still running and the heater warming the inside of the vehicle. Myra's father popped open the trunk, allowing the two teens to place their luggage inside before closing it gently.

"Well, we better get moving, we have a long drive ahead of us," he said with a faint smile as he opened the door to the backseat. Myra slid in first, followed shortly after by her snowy- haired friend. The door shut softly behind them, and soon Myra's father had joined them in the car and they were pulling away from the apartment buildings.

The first few minutes of the drive were tense and awkward; at least they seemed so to Ryou. He wondered whether it would be better to try and start a conversation or just stay silent. He didn't have to think long, as it was actually Myra's father who broke the silence.

"Your friends will be happy to see you, Myra," he said, smiling at his daughter in the rear-view mirror. "I've already notified them that you are coming to visit," he explained.

The answering smile Myra gave her father was stunning, at least her companion thought so. He couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy at the thought of having to share her with her other friends on this trip.

_How silly,_ he thought to himself, shaking the feeling away. _I have no reason to feel like this. Myra and I are only friends, nothing more,_ he told himself. Suddenly the image of her in his bed, dressed only in her bra and panties flashed through his mind, accompanied by the memory of what it felt like to kiss her pink lips and feel her smooth skin beneath his fingers.

_But you wish it was so much more, don't you, Hikari?_ Bakura's voice echoed in his mind, unbidden as usual. It soon became obvious that he was the one who showed the memory to Ryou, simply to torment him. _You want to feel her lips against yours again, only this time with her conscious and willing. You want to feel her skin beneath your fingers, hear her breath coming in short pants and her voice calling your name, don't you?_

_Shut up!_ He shook his head forcefully, trying to force the voice down, to banish the images Bakura's words had brought up away. _I won't do anything like that to her!_

_Ah, but you already have, my dear host. You've already begun the descent into lusting for the girl who sits beside you, _he taunted. _And you even lied to the faces of her parents, saying that you would never do anything to her that she didn't want, when you had already done something to her, while she was asleep at that. Naughty boy._

_You told me to!_ Ryou retorted, trying his best to find a flaw in the spirit's logic and failing miserably.

_And since when has it ever been a good idea to listen to what I tell you to do?_

Ryou was struck silent at that remark. He knew the spirit was right and that he had lost the argument.

_Go away._ He tried to block the spirit's voice out, even though he knew this was something he had tried to do many a time and had never succeeded. Surprisingly, Bakura retreated into the depths of his mind of his own will, his mocking laugh slowly fading until Ryou could no longer hear it. He let out a relieved sigh, slumping back against the seat and letting his eyes fall shut.

A soft touch to his arm drew him out of his thoughts, and he turned to see Myra gazing at him with concern shining clear in her jade eyes. It was then that he realized that the car had fallen silent, the only sounds being the hum of the motor and the soft music emitting from the car's radio. "Is something wrong?" she questioned, her hand moving up to give his shoulder a light squeeze.

He forced a shy smile, pushing back the grimace that threatened to mar his features. "No...just Bakura being, well, Bakura," he whispered back, hoping that her father wouldn't overhear their conversation. She nodded and gave him an understanding smile.

"Don't let him ruin this trip for you," she smiled, giving his shoulder another light squeeze before letting her hand drop into her lap. He nodded in understanding, though he was still uneasy after the conversation with the vengeful spirit of the Millennium Ring.

The car ride was silent after that, neither teen wanting to make conversation in front of the older man who drove the vehicle. However, that didn't mean that there weren't still questions buzzing around in the minds of both youths. Ryou's were of simple things; like what should he do to erase her father's earlier impression of him and replace it with a more desirable one. The thought made him nervous. Myra's, on the other hand, were quite different. For instance, what was it that Bakura had said to Ryou to make him so anxious and upset? Unfortunately, both teens would have to wait until they arrived at their destination and were able to slip away from the watchful eyes of the elder male.

Time passed slowly, and Ryou soon found himself drifting off to sleep, the glass of the car's window cool against his forehead as he leaned against it. He briefly wondered how much longer the drive would be, but brushed the thought away in favor of napping for a short while on the way, hoping that it would make the time seem to pass faster. With that final thought, the young teen drifted off, not noticing the two pairs of eyes watching him; one concerned and sympathetic, the other watchful and slightly suspicious.

* * *

"Ryou? Ryou, can you hear me?"

A voice was calling him, beckoning him. But whose?

"Ryou, come on, wake up."

It was female, that he was sure of, though at the moment he couldn't quite seem to place it. He wracked his brain, trying to find something to connect the voice to. It was so familiar. Where did he know it from?

His eyes cracked open, his vision blurry and his thoughts disoriented at first. He could just barely make out the form of a person hovering over him, their long auburn hair falling over their shoulders to form a curtain of hair around their face. As his vision cleared he was able to see that it was a familiar face hanging over him.

"Huh? What did I miss?" the teen asked as he became more aware of his surroundings. He was still seat-belted into the car and his head was leaning against the cold glass of the window. Myra was on the seat beside him, though she was no longer wore her seat belt. Instead, she was now very close to him, her face hovering above his as she tried to shake him awake by his shoulders. He didn't fail to notice that her chest was almost level with his face, as she was sitting on her knees as she shook him.

"You fell asleep," she answered, her hands falling from his shoulders when she was sure that he would not drift back off. "We're here," she said with a smile. He glanced out the window and saw that she was right. They were no longer in the city, but instead were surrounded by the wondrous sights of the countryside. All around them were fields and trees, and in the distance he could see the shapes of other houses, and farther off a cluster of buildings that he assumed to be the main town.

He straightened up, now fully awake. He opened the car door gently and slid out of the seat, followed closely by Myra who watched him carefully as he took in his new surroundings.

"What do you think?" she asked as she came to stand beside him.

He smiled tentatively. "It's so different from the city," he admitted. He took in the sights before him. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was still high in the sky, casting its bright light onto the land and illuminating everything beautifully. "It's actually very refreshing," he said with a content sigh.

His female companion grinned, pleased that he liked what he saw. "Just wait until you see all the places I have to show you," she grinned, taking his hand and leading him towards a house that he had not noticed before. It was an impressive home, at least compared to his tiny apartment, though at the same time it was still humble. It was two-stories tall, which was not unusual for the homes in the area, and painted in a rather plain beige color.

She led him inside, their bags already sitting just inside the front door and Myra's father rummaging around in the kitchen nosily. The inside of the house was grand compared to the outside. The floors were all hardwood, at least as far as he could see anyway, and the furniture was surprisingly modern. As he gazed around the room in wonder, he noticed that there didn't seem to be even the slightest hint of dirt or filth, everything was explicitly clean. The sterility of the place reminded him of a hospital and he shivered.

"Are you kids hungry?" the voice of Myra's father floated in from the kitchen. He appeared from around the corner, holding a package of bread and a jar of peanut butter. "I could make some sandwiches," he offered. Myra couldn't help the grimace that marred her features. Her father wasn't the best cook, and she vaguely wondered if he survived on nothing but sandwiches.

"No thanks, Dad," she refused as kindly as she could, offering a smile in hopes that she wouldn't hurt his feelings too bad. "I think we can manage on our own."

His face fell a bit at her answer, but he recovered quickly, smiling back and nodding.

"Actually, sir, I could cook if you would like," Ryou's soft voice called out, a light blush staining his cheeks when the elder male gave him an odd look.

"You cook?" he asked, his voice sounding almost disbelieving. At the younger male's affirmative nod his look turned quizzical.

"It's true," Myra chimed in. "He's actually a great cook, Dad," she said, leading her friend into the kitchen so that the three of them could stand together instead of practically yelling at each other from across the house.

Ryou's blush only darkened at her words, as well as the scrutinizing look he received from her father. "I-I learned to cook for myself a little while back, after my father left," he said suddenly, unsure as to why he said it or why the older man would even care.

With a sigh Myra's father set down the bag of bread and peanut butter he had been holding. With a weak smile he gave a nod to Ryou. "Alright, have at it," he said as he stepped away from the counter and made a sweeping gesture with his arms before leaving the room.

The two teens shared a smile and got to work, deciding that they were going to make a favorite of Myra's father in the hopes to sway his opinion of Ryou. While Ryou did most of the cooking, Myra was busy fetching the ingredients he needed and clearing the table before setting it neatly. Not long after the aroma of cinnamon rolls wafted throughout the house, drawing the older male into the kitchen to investigate.

"Cinnamon rolls?" he asked as he poked his head into the room, not quite believing what his senses were telling him. Truth be told, her father had a major sweet tooth, and her mother used to make the treat for them every weekend. She was sure that he hadn't had any since she and her mother had moved out, and knew for a fact that if Ryou was able to make the warm, gooey pastry just right, her father would be most pleased.

"Yup!" she answered cheerfully as she set a plate full of the warm treat on the table. "How does breakfast sound for dinner?" she said with a grin. He smiled in return and took a seat at the table, waiting for his daughter and house guest to join him.

The snowy-haired teen had just finished washing his hands of the remnants of the sticky dough when Myra called him over to the table. He took the seat closest to Myra and across from her father. "I hope they're to your liking," he said softly. He watched anxiously as the older male picked up one of the pastries and nibbled on it experimentally. He could almost feel himself beginning to sweat as he watched him slowly chew the food in his mouth.

Myra also watched her father nervously as he chewed, her eyes darting back and forth from her father to her friend who almost seemed to be holding his breath. When she saw her father lock eyes with Ryou and give a curt nod accompanied with a small smile she could physically feel her body relax in relief. Ryou seemed to have a similar reaction.

The trio ate together quietly with only brief moments of small talk breaking the silence, most of them started by Myra in an attempt to get her father and Ryou talking in hopes they would find some common ground to connect on.

No such luck.

As soon as he had finished his meal her father rose from his seat and bid them goodnight, claiming he had work the next day and informing Myra that the guest room had already been prepared for her and Ryou that there were blankets and pillows on the couch in the living room for him to use.

The two teens were left alone, both working together to clear the table of the used dishes and leftover food that would be eaten the next morning. Once this task was complete the two went their separate ways for bed, Myra promising to show him around the next day.

As she turned and headed up the stairs, Ryou found himself struggling to hold back the urge to grab her and embrace her as he had been doing the past few times they parted ways like this. However, he knew better than to do such a thing in her father's house when he could be watching them at any time. With a heavy sigh he arranged the blankets on the couch how he wanted them and then plopped down onto the uncomfortable looking piece of furniture. He wondered if he would sleep that night, and with another sigh closed his eyes and tried to focus and leaving the waking world and entering the realm of sleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: I am so sorry for the long wait! . This chapter was really hard for me, as it's really just a filler chapter. But, oh well. I already have the plans for the next chapter, and since I've gotten through this tedious chapter it should be much easier to work on the next one now that this is out of the way. Anyway, I look forward to your reviews. And a big thank you to the people who messaged me and encouraged me to get this chapter done and up =]_


	13. A Dark Savior

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own my OC, Myra.**

* * *

The sun shone brightly through the living room window, its rays illuminating the entire room in soft morning light. The sleeping figure of Ryou could be seen curled up on the couch, his snow white hair framing his head like a halo. Though he was not a morning person or an early riser, he was the first in the silent house to awaken.

His chocolate eyes cracked open, sleep still blurring his vision as he sat up and rubbed them. Stretching and letting out a yawn, he dragged himself off the couch and upstairs in search of the bathroom on the next floor. After stumbling around fruitlessly he finally found his destination by means of opening random doors and hoping that he didn't accidentally find his way into someone's bedroom.

After splashing cold water in his face in an attempt to wake himself up he wondered whether he should begin to cook breakfast in a second attempt to get on Myra's father's good side. As he was leaving the bathroom he nearly crashed into the object of his thoughts, and he had to say that crashing into the older man this early in the morning was not pleasant.

It was obvious that he was even less of a morning person that Ryou was, and that was saying something. He was barely awake actually, his eyes still crusted together with sleep and his brown hair mussed from sleep.

"Good morning sir," Ryou greeted, trying to sound as cheerful as possible that early in the morning. He received a grumble in return. "I'm sorry? I don't think I caught that."

"Just call me Mr. Aslin, I hate being called sir," he mumbled as he locked himself in the bathroom. Aslin. So _that_ was Myra's last name, he had never thought to ask her about it before. He shrugged and went on his way to the kitchen, and after pushing the guilt of going through someone else's refrigerator aside he began to rummage through it quickly in search of anything he could use to create an edible breakfast.

It took a little bit of creativity, but finally he found a few eggs and things he could use as fillers to make omelets. It didn't take long before Mr. Aslin made his way down the stairs attracted by the smell of food. He looked surprised to find Ryou happily cooking as if he were in his own home.

Ryou threw him a small smile before serving him one of the three steaming omelets and setting it before him on the table. Mr. Aslin gave him a brief nod of thanks before stabbing a fork into his food.

"Is Myra up by any chance?" Ryou asked tentatively.

"No," the older man answered through a mouthful of food. "You can go wake her up if you want," he said, shooting Ryou a meaningful look before turning his attention back to his food.

Ryou knew that look. _Don't do anything you'll come to regret with my daughter,_ it said.

_Oh, don't worry, we would _never _do something like that, would we, Ryou? _Bakura's voice echoed from the back of his mind. He had to resist the instinct to shake his head to try and clear the dark voice from his thoughts.

He turned and left the room as quickly as possible without drawing unwanted attention to himself. As soon as he was out of sight of the older man he raced up the stairs to find the room that Myra slept in. It wasn't as hard as he imagined it would be, as there were only three other doors besides the bathroom. One of which was the room that Mr. Aslin had come out of, so that one was automatically ruled out. The second was what appeared to be a study or office of some sort. So that only left the one at the farthest end of the hall.

He approached it wearily, realizing too late how pointless it was for him to be nervous. He rapped lightly on the door with his knuckles.

No response.

He turned the knob slowly and was surprised to find it unlocked. He pushed it open cautiously, wincing when it creaked.

"Myra?" he called softly, almost too soft that it wouldn't even wake a sleeping person. He approached the bed curiously, wondering if she had stripped herself of her clothing in the middle of the night as she had done the night that she had stayed at his apartment. Thankfully she hadn't.

Her back was to him as she was lying on her side. He perched carefully on the edge of the small bed, his weight causing the bed to dip. He shook her shoulder gently and called her name again, this time getting a response from the sleeping girl.

She turned over to face him, her eyelids heavy with sleep and a soft smile on her face. "G'morning," she said with a yawn. "I'm surprised you're up before me," she teased with a chuckle as she poked him lightly in the forehead.

He smiled in return and said, "Your father is downstairs. I made omelets." At the mention of food she perked up and threw the blankets off her.

"Well what are we hanging around up here for if there is food downstairs?" she said with a grin before turning and leaving the room with a grinning Ryou in her wake.

No more than an hour later the trio had finished their morning meal and were ready to depart.

"I need to run some errands today," Mr. Aslin explained as he pulled his coat on and stepped into his shoes. "I should be back around noon. Will you two be alright on your own?" he asked with just the slightest hint of suspicion tingeing his voice.

"Don't worry about us," Myra said with a smile as she shrugged on a sweater and handed Ryou's black trench coat to him. "We're going out too. I called Amanda this morning and she wants to get together for the afternoon."

Her father grunted. "Well, have fun then. Call me if you need anything." With those parting words her father walked out the front door, nearly slamming it behind him, causing Ryou to wince.

The two sat in silence, Myra listening carefully for the sound of her father's car pulling away. As soon as she was satisfied that he was gone she let out a sigh of relief.

"Well the worst is over," she said as she stood and began to slip on her shoes. "Don't worry, he likes you," she said with a smile as she sat back beside him on the couch, waiting for him to put his own shoes on.

"Likes me?" he asked, baffled. "How can you tell? He will hardly say anything to me."

"I'm pretty sure that the fact that he was even willing to leave the two of us alone here for even a second is proof enough that he does," she explained. "You were right to go with food to win him over, he's surprisingly simple," she said with a snicker. "Besides, he thinks you're too quiet and shy to be a sexual predator." She paused after she said this, a brief image of Bakura flickering through her thoughts before she banished it.

He made a sound of agreement that was close to grunt in a fashion that was similar to Bakura. He finished tying his own shoes and slipped into the long trench coat that Bakura favored.

Myra smiled at him warmly; her jade eyes alight with excitement. "Ready to go?" He nodded in the affirmative and tried to smile in return, though he wasn't too keen on meeting new people, even if they were Myra's friends.

The pair departed to find that the weather was sunny but to their misfortune a bit chilly. Ryou clutched his coat about him tighter as Myra giggled to herself.

As they made their way farther into the small town Myra began to point out places that she used to frequent when she had lived there and the few places that were best to be avoided. People smiled and waved to her as she passed and she waved in return, but didn't stop to speak to them.

Finally they arrived at a small high school, much smaller than the one they attended in Domino City. It appeared old and somewhat rundown, though Ryou didn't miss the smile that pulled at his friend's lips when she laid eyes on it.

"Here we are," she announced as she came to a stop. "A lot smaller than what you're used to, huh?" she asked with a grin.

He grinned sheepishly in return and nodded.

A voice suddenly called out to them from up ahead, and looking up Ryou saw what looked to be a pair of teens approaching them. One was slight of figure and had long, flowing hair, and he assumed them to be female. The other was taller and well built, resembling a male.

"Amanda!" Myra's voice called out from beside him. She lifted her arm to wave and smiled brightly, though her smile soon fell when she noticed the second figure approaching them.

"Ugh, Bradley," she scoffed. "Why did she have to bring him?"

Thoroughly confused, Ryou shot his friend an inquisitive look, hoping she would explain.

"Amanda is on old friend of mine," she offered. "We've known each other since we were in grade school, been best friends ever since. Unfortunately, she met Bradley about a year ago," she scoffed. "He's a bad influence, I don't like him," she said simply, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Myra!" Amanda's shrill voice rang out as the girl rushed forward to embrace her friend, Bradley following close behind with his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

Myra returned the embrace eagerly, grinning ear to ear. When the pair finally pulled back from each other they couldn't help but smile fondly at the other.

Amanda spoke first. "Myra, I'm sure you remember Bradley?" she asked, gesturing to the tall brunette that stood behind her with his arms crossed over a broad chest.

"I do," she answered. _Unfortunately._ She tried to force a smile, and despite her usually cheerful demeanor, Bradley was one person who she could not genuinely smile at. He gave her the creeps, short and simple. Though he was her Amanda's boyfriend, she still caught the looks that he shot her on the sly. He made her stomach turn.

"Nice to see you again, Myra," Bradley said with a smirk, his cold blue eyes running over her body quickly.

_I wish I could say the same._

"Amanda, Bradley," Myra said, stepping to the side. "This is Ryou Bakura," she said, gesturing to the pale boy beside her.

"Pleasure to meet you," Ryou said with a smile, sticking out his hand. When neither of the two took it, he dropped it in embarrassment. He heard Myra huff behind him, whether at him or at her friends he wasn't sure.

After the rather awkward introductions, the four decided to catch a movie and lunch. This being Amanda's idea, Bradley agreed readily and giving her a swift kiss on the mouth before releasing her. Myra simply shrugged and followed along, Ryou trailing her silently.

The movie was a rather boring one, some chick-flick than Amanda had chosen. Even worse than the movie though, was that Myra was forced to sit beside Bradley.

_How in the world did this happen?_ She wondered to herself. Ryou sat to her left and to her right was Bradley and then Amanda to his right. She sighed irritably; this day was not turning out how she thought it would.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her knee, and glanced down to see Bradley's hand resting there casually. She spied him out of the corner of her eye, that infuriating smirk pulling at his lips. She repressed a snarl and scooted away from him until she was practically leaning on Ryou, unable to move any further away from the boy on her right.

"Myra?" Ryou whispered, taking notice of her odd behavior. "Is something wrong?"

"I hate him," she whispered back, her hand gripping the sleeve of his jacket. He didn't fail to notice that she was trembling. He had never seen her like this before.

He glanced around her and over to Bradley, who was staring intently at the screen, his hands fisted in his lap, a frown pulling at the corners of his lips. Glancing down at Myra, he found her sitting rigidly against him, her jade eyes narrowed in a glare.

Boldly, he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so that her head was resting on his shoulder. He didn't miss the surprised look that Bradley shot him; however he quickly recovered, turning his attention back to the screen.

Myra, on the other hand, was stunned into silence. She snuck a peak at him, only to find him watching her intently. He smiled softly at her, one of his genuine, reassuring smiles that put her at ease. She returned the smile, resting her head back against his shoulder, and she couldn't help but notice just how comfortable he was to lean on. With a content sigh, she settled against him, her attention returning to the movie.

_Getting a little daring, are we?_ The familiar voice in his head echoed.

_N-no. Whatever gave you that idea?_ He retorted, his fingers unconsciously gripping Myra's shoulder tighter. She shot him a confused look, though when she saw the frown pulling at his lips she assumed Bakura was speaking to him in his mind, though decided to leave the topic alone, and settled against him for the remainder of the film.

* * *

"Where do you want to eat?" Amanda chirped as they exited the theatre. She threaded her fingers through Bradley's, who only shrugged in response.

"Is that pizza place down by the grocery store still there?" Myra asked.

"Sure is," her friend answered brightly. "Pizza sound good?" she asked, looking to Bradley.

"I'm alright with anything," he answered nonchalantly, his hand giving hers a light squeeze.

"Are you alright with that, Ryou?" Myra asked, turning to her silent friend. He nodded shyly.

"Pizza it is then," Amanda declared, leading the way with Bradley in tow.

The walk was short, as the town was tiny in comparison to the vast Domino City. The food, however, was of a much higher quality than the food at any of the many pizzerias, Ryou noted.

The group had ordered an extra-large cheese pizza to split and settled down into one of the booths in pairs; Ryou and Myra on one side with Amanda and Bradley on the other. The two girls fell into a friendly chatter while the two boys remained silent.

As the saying goes, Myra was amazed at how fast time flies when having fun, and it was soon growing dark. The time had come for the group to part.

The first to depart was Amanda, as her home was the closest. Leaving Bradley with a passionate kiss and Myra with a tight embrace and promises to see each other again, she departed.

Myra and Ryou turned to leave, and it wasn't after they had been walking for a few minutes did Myra notice that Bradley was following them.

"Can I help you?" Myra asked tartly over her shoulder. Now that Amanda was no longer around, she didn't see much need to treat the other boy with much respect.

He merely shrugged in response. "Not really," he answered as he increased his pace in order to catch up and walk on Myra's left side while Ryou remained on her right.

"Then why are you following us?" she questioned, her nerves beginning to grow short.

"I don't have much else to do," he answered.

"Then why don't you go home?"

"Don't want to."

Myra grit her teeth. She didn't get angry often, but something about the boy just set her on edge. Just as she was opening her mouth to give him another short retort, Ryou cut in.

"Myra, may we stop so I can look at that?" he asked, pointing across the street to one of the small, darkened shops. The look on his face was one of pure excitement, and there was no way that she could deny him.

Managing a softer smile only for him, she nodded and watched as he darted across the street to press his face to the glass and examine whatever it was inside that had captured his attention.

This, however, left Myra in a rather awkward situation. Alone with Bradley. She could only hope that he would remain silent. Unfortunately, what he did was something much worse than opening his mouth to speak.

Quicker than she could see, his hand came down over her mouth while his other arm wrapped around her waist. She was pulled back into the nearest alley, all of this happening in a silent moment.

She was slammed back against a hard wall, her head screaming in pain as she connected with the brick behind her and her vision momentarily went blurry.

"Don't scream," he hissed. "You'll regret it." His hand around her waist inched up beneath the hem of her shirt, his fingers icy against her skin.

Gathering enough of her wits to fix him with a heated glare and squirm away from his hand, she said, "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"That should be obvious," he answered cooly. He gave up on trying to cover her mouth again, and instead gathered both of her wrists together and held them above her head. His hand inched further up her stomach before suddenly retreating.

"Let me go," she hissed, thrashing against him. Suddenly his hand was gripping the fabric of her shirt tightly at her collar, and with a quick movement he ripped her shirt. Though he hadn't ripped it completely off, he had torn enough of the material to reveal to him her small breasts and the tan skin of her stomach.

"Let me _go_," she demanded, trying to kick her legs out at him in vain. When he still did not relent, Myra opened her mouth to scream, however her attempt was quickly smothered by Bradley's lips crashing over hers, his tongue invading her mouth and probing against her own.

She began to really panic now. Her mind was racing as she thrashed against him, her cries muffled. Tears began to leak from her eyes though she tried to keep them from falling. She had never thought this would happen to her.

Suddenly, a violent shudder coursed through her. The air had suddenly become much colder and malevolence seemed to surround her.

With a violence that she had never witnessed before, Bradley was ripped off her and thrown across the alley. Myra fell to her knees, the shock too much. Glancing up, she saw that Bradley was slumped against the opposite wall, his face contorted in pain.

Another violent tremor passed over her, and glancing up she saw the cause of it. Ryou – no, _Bakura,_ - was standing over her, his fists clenched tightly and his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

He moved toward Bradley with a careful slowness. Reaching down, he grabbed the collar of Bradley's shirt and hoisted him up until the other boy's feet left the ground.

Bradley, who was still too disoriented to do much to defend himself, only moaned in pain as he was slammed viciously against the wall a second time. Bakura held him there, still not saying anything or revealing any emotion.

A blinding light suddenly emitted from Bakura, and Myra saw that it was the Millennium Ring that hung against his chest. Strangely, she did not remember him wearing it earlier.

The light brightened, and as she looked on, Myra saw that Bakura wore a seemingly amused look as Bradley began to spasm and weakly protest, his eyes going wide as if he could see something that terrified him.

His body went slack suddenly, his eyes rolling in the back of his head and his mouth hanging agape. Gracelessly, Bakura dropped him in a crumpled heap against the building.

"W-what did you do to him?" Myra forced out, her shock beginning to fade as her senses came back to her. Slowly he turned to face her, his hands now stuffed casually in the pockets of his trench coat.

Crossing the distance between them, he kneeled before her so that his mahogany eyes met hers. "I sent him to the Shadow Realm," he answered, his rough voice an odd comfort after the terror she had just experienced.

Too tired question him, she nodded and decided she would ask Ryou about it later. Unexpectedly, she felt cool fingers beneath her chin as her head was tilted up. Bakura's eyes swept over her face, his gaze revealing none of his thoughts.

"You're alright?" he asked, rising to his feet. At her nod, he removed his black trench coat and thrust it at her. "Put this on," he commanded.

It was then that Myra became aware of her ripped clothes, and a heated blush rose to her cheeks, though she wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment alone or if it was the result of shame as well. Wrapping the coat around herself so that she was no longer exposed, she leaned awkwardly against the wall, still unable to support herself.

She felt Bakura move behind her a moment before she felt his arms scoop her up bridal style. She stiffened against him, unsure of what to do. Bakura was, after all, the evil spirit that made Ryou's life hell. Was it wrong to feel thankful that he had come to her rescue?

With a sigh, she decided that it was too much to think on at the moment, she closed her eyes and forced herself to relax against him, and soon the feeling of being carried began to lull her to sleep, with the exception of him demanding the house key from her, the journey home was silent.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, she felt the softness of a bed beneath her and let out a sigh of contentment. She heard Bakura move away from her, and knew he was leaving by the sound of the bedroom door opening.

"Bakura," she called softly, though she knew he heard her by the grunt he gave in response. "Why did you send Bradley to the Shadow Realm?" she asked, though she still hadn't the slightest idea of what the Shadow Realm was.

He was silent for a moment, as if considering his answer. "Because he's not a part of my game," he answered softly before closing the door behind him and leaving Myra in complete darkness.

* * *

_Author's Note: So I was reading through this recently, and I noticed that about half a paragraph had somehow been cut out, as well as one of those wonderful page-break lines that I use to separate one scene from the next. So I fixed those little issues =)  
_


	14. Questions Answered

**_I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own my original character, Myra._**

* * *

_No,_ Ryou mentally moaned as he ran a hand through his tangled mane of hair. He sat hunched over on the uncomfortable couch downstairs, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what had just occurred.

_Yes,_ a rough voice answered back, a voice that only he could hear.

_You didn't,_ he retorted, refusing to believe that such a thing had happened and he hadn't been able to do anything to prevent it.

_I did, and you would have too if you had the means to do so,_ Bakura argued back. It was so easy to picture the spirit, what he would look like if Ryou could actually see him. He would probably be leaning against the opposite wall, his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest, his posture casual and uncaring.

_I wouldn't have sent him to the _Shadow Realm_! _Ryou exclaimed, his hands moving to massage his temples. This couldn't be happening.

He had regained consciousness about an hour ago, and when he glanced at the clock he saw that it was still the early hours of the morning, no one would be up for another three hours or so. The thing that struck him as odd was that he didn't remember coming back to Myra's house, didn't remember climbing onto the couch to lie down, nor did he remember where his trench coat had gone.

Once he was fully awake, a montage of images flashed through his mind, creating a scene that he couldn't quite believe. But what choice did he have but to believe it? He knew that the black spots in his memory were caused by Bakura taking possession of his body, knew that the spirit was capable of sending someone to the Shadow Realm, and quite frankly seemed to enjoy it as well.

_Lie._ His snowy head jerked up at the accusation, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I don't understand," he sighed. He was tired, and he _really_ didn't want to be having this conversation right now, not when he still didn't know the details of the night. While Bakura had the ability to show his host images of what transpired during his time in control, he had chosen to only reveal bits and pieces of what had happened to the boy.

_If you had the ability to do so, and you had seen what I saw, simply pulverizing the boy would not have been enough. So I did the next best thing. _The spirit's voice was cold and hard, as if he was still angry.

"Enlighten me, why don't you," Ryou scoffed sarcastically, running a hand through his snowy locks and letting his eyes fall closed with a sigh.

_As you wish._

Images began to flash behind his closed eyelids, quickly at first, since the spirit had already shown him these "memories." Soon the images began to slow, and then finally he was seeing them in real time as if through Bakura's eyes.

He saw the boy, Bradley, dragging Myra backwards into the narrow alley. One moment he was by the shop window, and the next he was across the street, peering into the alley to see the low-life teenage boy forcing his tongue down Myra's throat and tearing at her shirt.

In the blink of an eye, he was upon the boy, tearing him from the girl he was forcing himself on, and with little effort flung him across the alley and into the adjacent wall. He quickly glanced at the girl, silently confirming to himself that no serious damage had been done. Then he was standing before the boy heaped on the ground, his fist tangled in his shirtfront, lifting him from his sitting position to his feet, and then higher, so that his toes dangled without touching the pavement beneath him.

Ryou could actually feel the spirit's rage and disgust as if he were experiencing it himself, and the simple fact that the spirit _felt_ anything at all surprised him. Sure, he knew that the spirit was capable of some emotions, though most of the time it was the thirst for revenge and sadistic pleasure. He never knew that Bakura could actually feel the need to protect someone other than himself.

Lastly, he saw, or more rather felt the power the spirit possessed coursing through him, spurred on by his fury. He knew that _this_ was the power the spirit possessed, the power that could send someone to the Shadow Realm. This was where things got a little fuzzy; perhaps because the spirit didn't want Ryou to know exactly what sort of fate he had cursed the boy with in the Shadow Realm. However, he could still feel the malicious intent that the spirit harbored.

Suddenly, he was forced form the vision, and he came back to reality in a shock.

"Something you don't want me to know?" he asked bitterly. He knew the spirit had his share of secrets. Hell, he didn't even know the spirit's real name, though he had never asked once the spirit decided to go by Ryou's last name.

_Not at all. However, the girl awakens, and I doubted you wanted her to come to you while you were in a trance like that._

Ryou sighed; the spirit had a good point. Finding him in a state like that would likely only scare her more. Taking another deep breath to steady himself, he tried to prepare himself to face his friend.

* * *

Myra crept from her room, trying to remain silent as she came to a stop at the top of the stairs. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she had heard someone talking downstairs, murmuring quietly to them self, or perhaps to another. She glanced at the clock, finding that it was only 4AM, much too early for her father to be up and about, and she highly doubted that Ryou would have purposefully woke him to explain what had happened that night.

She shivered at the memory, and gripped the black trench coat, which she knew to be Ryou's, tighter in her hands. Of course, before emerging from her room she had the sense to change in to more decent clothing, tossing her ripped shirt back into her suitcase. She had intended to return this to him, but now she was second guessing her decision. Perhaps she should wait until morning? After all, she really didn't want to go down there and find that she was facing Bakura, rather than her friend.

_No,_ she thought. It wouldn't make any difference what time of day it was. She knew if Bakura wanted to be in control during the day, he was more than capable of doing so. He was an excellent actor when he had the patience to imitate his host's docile nature.

Sighing, she gathered her nerve, and began her descent down the worn carpeted stairs. She paused at the bottom, wondering why it had gone so quiet. Had she really imagined the voices? The shuffling of feet downstairs? She hadn't thought so.

"Ryou?" she called softly, ever mindful of her volume, so as not to wake her father. He may not be quite as suspicious as he initially was, but he was still didn't completely trust Ryou. And the last thing she wanted right now was for her father to wake and catch them alone together in the middle of the night, especially when she had so many questions that she wanted answered. She couldn't bear to be interrupted tonight. "Hello?"

"Myra," she heard the voice of her friend call back, though from his tone, it was obvious he was wide awake, and knew that she was there even before she had called out to him. "What are you doing up? You should be in bed," he said with a sigh.

As her eyes adjusted, she could see that he was seated on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees and his head cradled by one of his pale hands, the other hanging limp over his knees.

"I…I wanted to return this to you," she mumbled, as she approached him, holding out his coat. When he didn't take it, she draped it over the arm of the couch; no longer sure it had been a good idea to leave her room just yet. "May I…sit with you?"

He nodded, still not meeting her eyes, but making no move to stop her. Gingerly, she sat beside him, their shoulders just barely brushing. Silence reigned between them for what seemed like hours, though she knew it to be only minutes.

"Ryou," Myra started, "what's wrong?" she finally asked. It was obvious that he was distressed, not only by his posture, but by his silence. Was he hurt?

"What's wrong?" he echoed. "That boy almost…!" he whispered harshly, unable to bring himself to say the words. He shuddered, disgust twisting his gut, both at the other boy's intentions as well as his own weakness. The fact that it was the Spirit of the Ring that had to step in was pathetic. And on top of all that, rather than just tossing the offender around a little bit and letting it be, he had to go a step beyond that, and banish the boy's mind to the Shadow Realm. Lord only knew what punishment the Spirit had sentenced the boy's mind to. He shuddered again at the though, for he truly didn't want to know.

"But he didn't. Bakura…the Spirit stopped him. I'm alright, and safe at home, and that's all that really matters, right?" she asked. To her shock, Ryou shook his head mournfully.

"You don't understand," he said calmly. "What he did to that boy…he won't ever be the same again." He heaved a deep breath. "What the Spirit did, he used the power of the Ring to banish his mind to the Shadow Realm." He held up a pale hand to stop the question he knew his friend was about to ask. "The Shadow Realm is…well, I honestly couldn't explain to you the horror of it. Just pray that you never find yourself there."

This information whirled around in Myra's head, only causing more questions to spring forth, though she knew he didn't have the answers to them. "Ryou," she said hesitantly, "would you be able to do me a favor?"

He looked at her then, for the first time since she had come down the stairs. She could see in his chocolate gaze questions of his own, as well as weariness. "Yes?"

"Could you…would it be possible for me to…speak with Bakura. I have some questions for him. Please." She held her breath, waiting for an answer.

"Are you sure?" he questioned. "You know that the Spirit isn't always…agreeable to my requests, let alone yours. He may not come out. And if he does, he may choose not to answer anything."

She knew this, but still, she felt as if she had to at least try. Who knew? Perhaps the Spirit might be in an agreeable mood tonight? Though she knew it was unlikely. "Yes," she answered softly.

Ryou shrugged. "Very well." His eyes closed, and she his body visibly relaxed, all the tension melting from his muscles as he exhaled slowly. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the first time he had willingly called the Spirit out, or if perhaps this was something he had done before.

Either way, her musings were cut short. She felt the familiar malevolence crawling across her flesh, raising the small hairs on the back of her neck and bringing goose-bumps to her bare arms. He was here. There was no denying it. And suddenly she wondered if this was a good idea. She seemed to be second guessing herself often tonight. Where had the confidence she had not only moments ago gone?

Suddenly she wanted to melt into her seat, or for the floor to open up and swallow her whole so that she didn't have to face Bakura. It felt as if the feeling of malice he normally put off had multiplied, as though waves of it were crashing over her, enveloping her in their darkness and pulling her in. She tried unsuccessfully to shake off the feeling.

This could only mean that the Spirit was in a fouler mood than usual.

"Bakura?" she called timidly.

She was answered by his dark chuckle. "Well, isn't this a surprise," he answered, his voice sending shivers down her spine. "It's not often that my little host willingly gives me control, especially at the request of another," he mused.

Suddenly, the memories of when he had practically assaulted her sprung forth, causing her to squirm and blush, feeling very uncomfortable in his presence. Other than the previous night, she hadn't spoken to him since that incident, and she had preferred to keep it that way.

"I told you that you would see me again," his voice interrupted her thoughts. "Though I hadn't thought it was going to be so soon, nor of your own will," he laughed. "Did you miss me?"

"I'm not in the mood for your teasing, Bakura," she said, trying to steady her voie. "I want to know exactly what it was you did tonight."

"Other than save you from becoming a rape victim, you mean?" he stated bluntly. She winced at his words. He obviously had no trouble speaking what his lighter side had refused to say.

"Yes," she answered cautiously. "I remember you tossing Bradley around a bit," she started, "and Ryou told me that you sent him to someplace called the Shadow Realm. I…want to know what the means. And will he be coming back?"

His sudden bark of laughter startled her. "One does not simply 'come back' from the Shadow Realm," he laughed. "It is not somewhere that you go for a vacation. It is a place of dark magic, of punishment and torture," he said.

"Won't the police notice he is missing? Won't they look for him?" she questioned. She wondered if he would be injured too badly, and what her friend Amanda would thing when she found out.

Bakura laughed again, softer this time. "The Shadow Realm is not a physical place, but as I said, a place of ancient magic. That boy's body is still in the alley, and someone will come across him eventually. His mind, however is somewhere else. If he's lucky, his body will remain in a coma, while his mind is subjected to his punishment."

The auburn-haired girl remained silent for a moment. "And if he's unlucky?" she ventured.

"Then his body will still function, and it will merely seem to the outside word that he is suffering from terrible hallucinations. And unless someone is able to…institutionalize him, there is a possibility his body could drive itself to a physical death. He could starve, or wander into traffic and find himself in an accident."

Overall, Bakura seemed unremorseful, if not proud of himself. This was no surprise, though she hadn't thought he possessed this sort of power. "And his punishment?"?

She immediately noticed the twisted smirk that pulled at his lips, and the sadistic glint reflected in his mahogany eyes. "He will suffer the same torment he attempted to inflict on you. Though his attackers will always be successful, and he will relive it again and again and again. As for when he will return. That is up to me," he said with a grin. "His mind will be trapped there until I decide to release him. And don't count on that happening anytime soon, if at all," he finished.

Myra sat in stunned silence. She had no response. What could she say, anyway? She felt no sympathy for her attacker, though she herself would never have chosen such a drastic punishment. Still, one more question remained, if she dared to ask it.

She hardly noticed as Bakura rose from his seat, as she was so lost in her own thoughts. Her body put up no resistance when he grabbed her by her upper arm and hauled her from her own spot on the couch to her feet. He wasn't gentle with her, though he was not as rough as their last encounter.

He led her back up the stairs and through the hall, back into her room, though she hardly noticed any of this. His hands moved to her shoulders, and he pushed her back to a sitting position upon her bed. Apparently, he was through with this conversation.

"Bakura," Myra said softly. He stopped, his hands still on her shoulders. "Why? Why would you save me?"

He grinned. "You mean something to my Light, to Ryou," he began, his voice equally as soft as hers. "And if something belongs to Ryou, then it belongs to _me_ too. And I don't like to share. Now sleep," he commanded and he pushed her the rest of the way down, and quickly strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Bakura descended the stairs, running a hand through his long snowy locks. That was not a conversation he had expected to have tonight. Even so, it was late, and his host still had yet to sleep. And his Light's exhaustion affected him as well.

With a grunt he positioned himself comfortable on the couch, and relinquished his control of his host's body, giving him the mental command to sleep. And for once, his Light was too tired to put up a fight, and drifted quickly to sleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: SO so so so very sorry for such a...delayed update. I don't even remember how long it has been, but I did receive everyone's reviews and messages requesting an update. I hope you can forgive me! I'll try harder for a much faster update this time!_

_On another note, I'm not longer sure where I want to go with this, as every time I tried to plan it out piece by piece, I was never satisfied. So from now on I'm just going to let the story write itself, and see where it leads =) _

_If any of you have any ideas, or something that you would like to see happen in a chapter, feel free to let me know! _

_Also, if there are any artists out there who would be willing, I would love to see some fanart! Either of characters posed together, or a scene from the story. And of course with the artist's consent, I would post it with my other art links on my profile!_

_Thank you for reading, reviews/PMs welcome!_

_-XxpeacefulragexX_


	15. The Return Home: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I do not make any form of profit from the writing of this.**

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise, and the fresh air from her open window tickled Myra's bare arms, the thin straps of her tank top sliding off her shoulders as she shifted once again to lay on her other side.

It was just barely approaching 6AM of Sunday morning, and she was still wide awake. After her conversation with Bakura, he had led her back to her room and commanded her to sleep. She scoffed. As if she would have been able to sleep after that, even if she wanted to. There was just no way, not with his parting words still tumbling around in her mind, taunting her.

_You mean something to my Light, to Ryou._

That statement had warmed her on the inside. She had assumed that she was significant to him in some way, just as he was important to her, and she wouldn't deny the affection she felt for him. Even still, she had been elated to hear the words from someone else. Someone who probably knew Ryou better than anyone else, considering that Bakura was constantly with Ryou, ever present inside his mind, sharing his body.

She shuddered. The thought still unnerved her.

She couldn't imagine what it would be like, to have another being living inside you, who always knew your innermost thoughts and feelings, who could always see what you were doing. The invasion of privacy must be terrible.

_And if something belongs to Ryou,_ was what he had said. This is what confused her. Ryou didn't seem the type to lay a claim on something, especially another person. He was too good-natured; she just couldn't see him as believing that someone _belonged_ to him. However, those were _Bakura's _words, and perhaps that was why they sounded so out of character for Ryou.

_Then it belongs to_ me _too. _The thought of Bakura laying any sort of claim over her sent shivers down her spine, and yet she couldn't quite discern is they were the bad kind of shivers…or the good kind.

_Of course they're the bad kind!_ She silently berated herself.

She knew what she was to Ryou; a friend, a companion, perhaps even a little more. She didn't fight the blush that warmed her cheeks. Why bother denying it? She knew that she felt something for the pale, soft-spoken boy, but did he feel the same?

Not that it mattered. Either way, she was content just to be around him, no matter what his feelings may, or may not be, for her.

Bakura, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. _I don't like to share._

What was she to Bakura? And now, what was he to her? In the past, he had proven himself to be nothing but a nuisance, to put it kindly. With his constant taunting, as well as the time he had forced himself on her, Myra couldn't help but feel as if Bakura thought of her as a simple means of amusement, something to keep him entertained, as the spirit hadn't seemed up to anything especially sinister since the events of Battle City, according to Ryou.

But things had…changed. She was trying so very hard to see him as nothing more than the villain, but his rare act of heroism last night was making that very difficult. A simple toy she may be, but if Bakura truly considered her as something that was _his_, then it's very possible things could get complicated in the very near future.

* * *

The sound of water rushing through pipes woke him, his sharp mahogany eyes snapping open. He glanced at the digital clock above the TV.

_6:30 AM_

Much too early, which explained why he was the one to wake, and not his host. Poor Ryou was still too mentally drained to function this early, and so for now, Bakura had complete control of their shared body.

He sat up slowly, attempting to smooth out his rumpled clothes from the day before. His host had never bothered to change, apparently. He sat very still, gathering his thoughts. He could hear the girl's father in one of the upstairs bedrooms, snoring loudly, obviously still deep in sleep.

He couldn't wait to leave this place. He hated the country, it wasn't as anonyms as the big city, too hard to move about unnoticed. He was sure that the body of that boy would be discovered soon, if he hadn't been already. Luckily, today was the day they would return to Domino, so he only had to endure this place for a few more hours.

The sound of the water stopped, and after a few brief moments he heard a door open upstairs, the sound of shuffling feet on the carpet, and another door close softly. The girl must be through with her shower. He waited a few minutes, giving her time to make herself decent, before rising and padding up the stairs to her room.

He stopped outside the door, listening to the sounds of her moving around inside the room. She obviously didn't know he was up yet, let alone standing outside her door. He lifted his hand, giving a few soft raps on the door. He heard her pause in her movements, as if uncertain, and then move softly towards the door.

Slowly, her door cracked open. "Ryou?"

"No," he answered softly. He heard her sharp intake of breath, though she didn't close the door in his face. He reached out, pushing the door open, just wide enough for him to slip inside the room, and shut it silently behind him. She stood still, close enough he could reach out and touch her, if he wanted to. Her still wet hair hung over her shoulders, allowing for droplets of water to trail down her neck, collar bones, and chest, before disappearing beneath her red tank-top. For a brief moment, he watched as one drop slid down the slender column of her throat, over one her delicate collar bones, and further down the swell of one of her breasts. Breasts that he had come so close to seeing, to _feeling_ one night in his host's apartment not so long ago.

"Bakura?" Myra's hesitant voice interrupted his thoughts. She was staring at him with wide eyes, and he could see traces of fear and confusion, but also curiosity lingering there as well. "Is there…something that you need?"

"How did you sleep?" he asked. He couldn't help but wonder if she had slept as poorly as he.

"I…didn't," she admitted. "I'm sorry. How is Ryou?" she asked, taking a seat on the neatly made bed. Upon it here was an open suitcase, and he could see that she was packing for their departure. Apparently, she was just as anxious to leave this place as he was.

"He's…sleeping," he answered. He didn't know of any other way to explain to her about Ryou's soul room, the place where his mind and spirit resided while Bakura was in control. Just like while he allowed his host control of their body, his own mind and spirit retired to a separate soul room. "He's not quite ready to come out yet."

"I see," she said. "Well, we'll be leaving soon, as soon as Dad wakes up. Best you get your things together soon. You're welcome to a shower and any of the food downstairs. Towels are in the closet by the bathroom," she said, turning back to her suitcase, trying to arrange her belongings so that they would all fit in the case when the time came to leave.

He simply watched her pack, knowing that this was his dismissal, but he wouldn't be deterred so easily.

"How will we be returning home?" he asked, making himself comfortable in the small arm chair that was placed near the window. It was too overstuffed for his taste, but after the stiffness of the couch, he wasn't going to complain. He could tell that his presence in her room made her uncomfortable, and he found her discomfort amusing. He could sit and watch her squirm all day.

"My father will be driving up back to Domino," she answered without even bothering to glace up from her luggage. For some reason, her lack of acknowledgement bothered him, and he repressed a growl.

"I want to leave sooner than that," he stated, noticing that she briefly paused in her packing, though she still didn't bother to meet his gaze.

"I don't see why that is necessary."

He scoffed. "Do you really still want to be here when that boy's body is found?" he asked almost casually. Though he knew the girl was no coward, there was no doubt in his mind that she found the entire situation too complex to try and explain to anyone, let alone the authorities. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we will be in the clear when he is discovered, and I don't think that old man will cease his snoring and wake anytime soon."

He watched as she seemed to contemplate his words, and he didn't miss as she fought her mixed emotions, wondering if he was right, for once. The spirit smirked at that. She couldn't deny that he was right, besides, how often had he committed this sort of act and gotten away with it? He was a master at his craft, and she was merely a girl who knew next to nothing of his power, and was forced to take his word on the matter.

"Alright," she whispered, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Working quickly, she searched her bag for her wallet, pulling out several crumpled bills and counting them before nodding to herself. "We have enough to take the busses back, but it will be a much longer trip," she said softly. She barely noticed as the spirit nodded his understanding and rose from the chair and left the room, most likely to gather the few belongings Ryou had brought along.

She was finally alone again, and took all her self-control to keep from chasing after the mischievous demon and begging him to release her attacker's mind from the hell he had been sentenced to.

* * *

Not long after their brief discussion in Myra's room, the pair found themselves standing idly at the transit mall, awaiting the bus that would begin their journey home. Myra had, of course, scribbled a note for her father and left it taped to the coffee maker, where she was sure he would find it. He would worry, and would most likely phone her mother and inform her of their daughter's spontaneous decision to depart early, and by public transit no less.

Absently, Myra couldn't help but wonder if her father would be disappointed at all that she had left early, and that they had missed out on what little bit of time they had left before she was scheduled to depart. _No, _she thought. _He wouldn't be. It's not like we ever saw each other very often when mom and dad were still married, he was always working. Just like he was yesterday._

In fact, now that she was thinking about it, she recalled that on Friday night he had mentioned that he had work the next day, but when he had left them on Saturday, he had said he was merely going out to run some errands and would be home by noon. That was _extremely _early for him to be home by noon on a work day, and she wondered perhaps if he had not gone to work that day _because _she had been there to visit, and she had missed out on her chance to really spend some time with her father because she had been out all days with her friends.

The thought made her a little sad, and she hoped that she would be able to come back and visit him again soon, though next time without all the awkwardness and the…mishap they had had.

"You look awfully stupid, spacing out like that," she heard the spirit next to her mumble, much closer than she thought he had been only moments before. She stifled a gasp and whirled to face him, finding his face only a mere inches from hers, and she briefly wondered how long he had been standing that close behind her. "You should be more careful," he advised, shooting a meaningful look over her shoulder.

Turning to face the street, she saw that standing on the other side of the depot was a man who was blatantly staring at her, and had most likely been doing so for the past few minutes. The thought made her shudder, and she wasn't sure what was worse; the fact that she had been oblivious to the stranger leering at her, or the fact that it was Bakura, of all people that was looking out for her.

Suddenly, an arm snaked around her waist and pulled, bringing her back against a solid chest and into the embrace of a certain snowy-haired demon. She could feel his pure white tresses tickling her cheeks and neck, as well as the strangely comforting warmth his hold provided. She heard him growl, felt it rumble through his chest as his arm dragged her closer and more firmly against his body.

Sneaking a glance behind her, she saw that Bakura's gaze was focused on the stranger across the way, his mahogany eyes seeming to glow as malice rolled off of him in waves, all directed at the older male.

Now, if it had been Ryou in control, the sight would not have been threatening in the slightest. Myra wasn't even sure if her friend knew how to be intimidating. However, it was hard not to notice the shift in the atmosphere when Bakura was in possession of their shared body, and she could tell that even the few people standing near them were beginning to feel nervous, some of them completely moving away from the pale teen. To be honest, Myra had to fight herself not to try and pull away from the spirit.

She directed her gaze back to the stranger, and found that he was not unaffected by the spirit's display as well. He had taken a few steps back, and she could read the indecision in his expression. Should he walk away with nothing but a bruised ego? Or should he take on the menacing teen? His decision was clear when he retreated, turning his back on the couple and moving to another area of the transit and finding an unoccupied bench to sit on, his head turned completely away from the mahogany eyes still fixated on him.

When Bakura still had not released her, Myra began to grow uncomfortable in his grip, and she couldn't help squirming against him. He only tightened his grip in response, his fingers digging painfully into her hip.

"Bakura," she gasped. "You need to let me go, the bus is coming."

With another growl, the spirit released his hold on her as the bus approached, though not for long. Without warning, he grasped her hand and tugged her along until they reached the opening bus doors. Without a care, he cut to the front of the line, dragging Myra along behind him. Much to the protest of those around him, he fished the bus fare from his pocket and dropped it into the box beside the waiting driver, and continued into the back of the bus where he deposited his bag before pulling Myra's from her grasp and dropping that one as well.

Without a word he sat upon the bench seat and scooted all the way over so that he was nearest the window, and then shot his companion a meaningful look while she continued to stand, speechless, at his unusual display.

Gingerly, she took at seat beside him, and watched as the other riders piled into the bus, only filling it to half capacity before the doors shut with a hiss. She snuck a glance at the boy beside her, and seeing that his face was turned away from her, his gaze locked on the passing scenery outside the dirty window, she knew that this was going to be a long trip.

With a sigh, she settled herself more comfortably against the seat, wondering how a public bus ride with Bakura would play out, and knowing that things between the _three_ of them would likely be changing very soon.

* * *

_Author's Note: Wow, another extremely delayed update . I remember the days when I used to update every week or so. Ah, well, at least it finally happened.  
_

_I'm not sure how much longer this story is going to go. Not saying that I am going to abandon it or anything like that, I just mean chapter wise. I don't want this to be something that drags on forever with no end. So, it may only have another few chapters or so, and after that if I decide to continue it, then it would be in a sequel, but I'll deal with that when the time comes. _

_For now, I'm sorry again . I've been so unreliable lately. _

_Please review and let me know what you think! Also, let me know if there is anything you would like to see happen in this story, or even in the sequel (if it comes to that)._


	16. The Return Home: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own my original character, Myra.**

* * *

Awkward was the only way that Myra could describe her venture home with Bakura. Though it was not the _normal_ uncomfortable silence borne from the lack of conversation, in fact it was the opposite. She could feel that there was still so much left unsaid between them that was the cause of the almost oppressive tension.

She wondered briefly what Ryou thought of the whole situation, and that led her to ponder as to whether her friend was aware of the spirit's bizarre behavior at all.

_Most likely not, _she thought to herself. She knew that while Bakura was an expert at invading the privacy of his host, the same could not be said about Ryou.

_If_ he even wanted to know Bakura's innermost thoughts, she had no doubt that the spirit tightly controlled how much information he shared with the boy, only allowing him to see what he thought was necessary before blocking the younger boy from his mind entirely. And so _Bakura_ was to blame for all the black spots in Ryou's memory, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Glancing to her right, she saw that Bakura had dozed off. Either that, or he was studiously ignoring her. His head rested in his open palm, propped up on the armrest, his eyes closed and his features uncommonly relaxed.

She took this opportunity to study him, not knowing when she would ever get another chance to do so again. His breathing was deep and even, his snowy hair falling against his neck and shoulders in soft waves, framing a face that looked almost peaceful in sleep.

Absently, she wondered if he would always look that good when he wasn't smirking evilly or giving her a taunting stare.

_What am I thinking?_ She silently berated herself. _I do _not_ find the spirit attractive._ And though she tried to deny it, she couldn't stop the warm blush from coloring her cheeks at the memory of him holding her so closely against him just a short time ago.

She had no trouble admitting to herself that she found Ryou to be cute, charming even with his easy-going and gentle nature. So, with Ryou and the spirit both sharing the same body, she figured that meant she indirectly found Bakura to be equally physically appealing as Ryou, however that didn't mean she was attracted to _him,_ did it?

It was all so very confusing. Her thoughts seemed to be going around in circles endlessly. It wasn't until she heard a faint growling from beside her did she return the present.

Bakura was awake, and he was watching her with those cold, penetrating eyes, his expression unreadable.

"W-what is it?" she asked, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.

He was silent for a moment longer, and Myra could practically see the indecision dancing in his eyes. "Ryou is awake," he answered at last.

Her mood lightened at his words. "Can he come out?" She felt rather silly, asking an evil spirit that possessed her friend's body if he would be willing to relinquish control of their shared body over to its rightful owner. The entire concept was wholly unbelievable, and the only reason she never doubted the fact was because she had _seen_ the transformation between the two, and she knew it to be true.

He looked away from her, his gaze turning back to the window. "No," he answered softly.

"No?" she repeated, more than a little angered at his response. "That body belongs to _Ryou,_ not _you,_" she hissed, leaning in close to him, not wanting their conversation to be overheard by the other passangers.

He whipped around to face her, coming so close that their noses just barely brushed. "He doesn't _want_ to come out," he growled in return, his voice low and dangerous, promising something dark if she were to press the issue further. Just as she was about to retort, a loud chuckle interrupted her.

She and Bakura both turned to see and elderly couple sitting on the bench seat opposite them. The woman had sparkling eyes and a knowing smile, her hands folded daintily in her lap. Her husband was sour-faced and tight-lipped, one bony hand resting atop his wife's skirted knee.

"Look, they're having a lover's spat," the woman said with a smile. "Doesn't that bring back memories?" she asked, elbowing her husband in the ribs lightly, obviously trying to remind her husband of their younger, more passionate days.

Bakura shot her a glare, his eyes almost seeming to glow. Myra merely blushed at having been mistaken as Bakura's lover.

"You had best silence that foolish woman of yours, old man," Bakura seethed, his hands tightening to fists at his sides.

The older male frowned, his eyes crinkling severely at the young couple before shushing his still snickering wife. Clearly, he was in no mood to argue. That, or he could feel the hostility rolling off of Bakura, and withdrew from the situation for his own welfare, as well as his wife's.

Myra snuck a glance in Bakura's direction, and seeing the anger still simmering in his eyes was enough to convince her that now was not the time to bring up the subject of Ryou again, lest she fuel his already heated temper.

Even still, his earlier words both shocked and confused her. Ryou didn't _want_ to be in control of his own body? The notion was so unlike him that she was having trouble trying to come up with possible reasons as to _why_ he felt that way. Normally, he was so careful not to let his control slip, or risk the spirit wreaking havoc in any way.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the spirit pull the cord that signaled the bus to stop until he scooped up both their bags and was nudging her out of her seat and out the rear door of the bus.

"Bakura," she murmured, "this isn't out stop, we're still downtown."

Grunting in response, he continued to propel her down the sidewalk by means of his free hand on the small of her back, applying a firm but oddly gentle pressure. "We're walking from here," he answered, silencing her protest with a pointed look.

He couldn't stand to be on that horrid vehicle for a moment longer, with its nosy passengers and uncomfortable seats, the ride had been nearly unbearable. He was relieved to escape it, even if it meant trekking through the crowded downtown area for the remainder of their trip.

Luckily, the girl seemed to have fallen silent, and when he glanced at her in curiosity, he found her eyes to be downcast and a slight frown pulling at her pink lips.

_You upset her, _his host groaned into his mind.

_On the contrary, my little Light. I believe it was _you _who upset her,_ the spirit echoed back. _She asked for you, and you refused. Since then, she had been silent._

Not that Bakura _cared_ that the girl was upset. After all, she was just a play-thing, something to pass the time and bring amusement. She was a toy…a toy that his host had happened to form an attachment to. At the thought, feelings of warmth and affection flowed from his host in waves that came crashing down over him, reminding him that if something were to happen to the girl beside him, the boy would be extremely distraught, and Bakura would never hear the end of it.

He growled, the mixture of feelings between him and his host were beginning to give him a headache.

The remainder of their walk home was silent, both of them sneaking glances at the other when they thought they weren't looking, and before she knew it, Myra realized they had reached their apartment building. Strangely, it seemed much more forbidding than it ever had, and she hesitated before the doors.

_Why do I feel as if something is about to change?_

Gathering up her courage, she pushed through the doors, holding her breath as she crossed the threshold. The silence that greeted her was eerie, as was the looming presence of the spirit behind her. He was oddly silent, when she had expected some sort of threatening or sarcastic remark from him. Turning to face him, she found that he was watching her intently once again, though this time there was an unfamiliar look in his eyes.

With a shiver, she turned away from him, her heart pounding so hard she was sure he would be able to hear it. She had no parting words for him. What could she say?

Suddenly, she felt the pressure of his hand on her back again, guiding her down the hall and towards her apartment. She didn't resist, though the feelings of his hands anywhere on her brought back memories of the night he had touched her so intimately, yet in such a brutal fashion.

As soon as they reached her door she quickly fished her key from her bag as he handed it over to her, still watching silently as she struggled to insert it in the lock. After what felt like ages, she finally managed to turn the key, unlocking the door to safety, to an escape from the boy behind her.

Opening the door just wide enough for her to slip through, she quickly closed the door in Bakura's face, effectively putting a barrier between them and throwing the lock home. She desperately sucked air into her lungs, fighting to quiet her beating heart.

However, despite her sudden anxiety, she didn't fail to notice the soft sigh that sounded from the other side of the door, followed by the faint sound of footsteps that carried the spirit away from her, and she remained still, listening until she could no longer hear him. It was only after she was sure he was gone did she allow herself to lean heavily against the wooden door, before sliding down it, her legs no longer willing to support her weight.

Her head fell into her open hands as silent sobs wracked her through her without mercy.

* * *

_Author's Note: Wow, I think this is the quickest I have updated in a long, long time O.o Perhaps I should bring paper and pen to work more often. Yay for slacking to write! _

_Anyway, thanks to those who haven't given up on this story yet, even though I've been completely infrequent with updates. I like to see that people still enjoy this._

_If I am able to get away with writing at work again, perhaps I will be able to update more frequently, and maybe I can finally get this damn thing finished =D_

_Review, let me know what you think! Or PM me with any questions or suggestions, I am open to fresh ideas!_


	17. The Sickness

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters.**

* * *

The distinct sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from down the hall, and as their owner turned the corner a soft gasp was heard before the footsteps picked up their pace. A pair of arms wrapped around her and she was enveloped in a familiar scent.

"Myra," her mother's voice cooed. "Why are you crying?"

Wiping away the tears from her red, puffy eyes, she forced a smile for her concerned parent. "I'm sorry, Mom," she said with a sniffle. "I guess I'm just a little homesick after going back there," she lied.

Not to say that she _wasn't_ homesick, however that was not the cause for her tears. And though she hated lying to her mother, it didn't seem like the best idea to reveal the truth to her about Ryou and Bakura. Despite how much she desperately wanted to confide in her mother, and how much she craved the elder woman's advice, she knew in her heart that she would only be labeled as delusional, or possibly even forbidden to see her friend again.

"Why are you home so soon? Your father called, he told me that when he woke up he found you gone before him. Did something happen?" Her mother had begun to gently pet her hair, an action that had always soothed her since she was a small child.

"Ryou wasn't feeling well," she lied again, hiding her guilty expression by turning her face away and resting her cheek upon her drawn-up knees. "He's very delicate, you see. I think all the pollen was beginning to get to him. He wanted to come home."

"Aw, well that's too bad," her mother sympathized. "Perhaps you can go visit again in a few weeks."

"No!" Myra answered sharply, startling her mother with the conviction in her tone. "No, she repeated softly. "I don't think I can handle going back there, and then having to leave it behind all over again," she whispered.

With a sigh, her mother stood and scooped up her duffel bag and deposited it upon the couch. "Well, why don't you get cleaned up and I'll make you something to eat, hm?"

Nodding, Myra pushed herself up from the floor, needing more than anything to be alone right then, and a shower was the perfect excuse to escape.

* * *

The scalding water poured over her relentlessly, turning her flesh and angry red and creating a thick curtain of steam. But it was the only way that she could wash everything away. The feel of Bradley's hands upon her, which had made her feel especially dirty, had to be burned off, and she refused to leave until that was accomplished.

She hadn't felt this way when Bakura had touched her…

_No! _She mentally slapped herself. _I will not think about that again!_

Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, allowing the scorching water to rain over her face as she tried to clear her thoughts, letting herself be distracted by the burning sensation creeping down her throat and chest.

_I wonder how Ryou is doing, _she thought. _Should I go to see him? _With a shake of her head she pushed the thought away. He hadn't wanted to see her earlier, what made her think that would be any different now?

With a frustrated sigh she shut the water off and snatched her towel from beyond the shower doors. Quickly drying and wrapping herself in the fluffy white cloth, she scurried to her room, shivering as the cool air in the hall kissed her exposed flesh.

Though it was still early afternoon, Myra had no intention of going out and enjoying the rest of her day before school started again tomorrow. Dressing in a pair of light blue pajama pants and a grey sweater that was only just a little too large and hung off her frame loosely, sliding down one side and revealing a tan shoulder if she moved around too much.

Resolving to spend the rest of the day holed up in her room contemplating the events of the past few days, she was only mildly startled when a knock sounded at her bedroom door. Her mother entered, unbidden, carrying a tray laden with breakfast foods and setting it at the foot of her bed.

Noticing her state of dress, her mother frowned. "Myra, it's still so early. Are you sure you don't want to go out and do something? We could go swimming, or catch a movie," she suggested lightly.

Myra forced a smile. "No, thank you. Perhaps another day, Mom," she answered politely, ignoring her mother's concerned frown.

"If you're sure…" At her daughter's solemn nod in answer, she left the room with a sigh, shutting the door softly behind her.

_Finally_ alone, Myra glanced down at the food that had been brought to her. Bacon, French toast with powdered sugar, fresh strawberries, and a glass full of cold chocolate milk. All of her favorites. Her mother was indeed trying to cheer her up. And it wasn't until then that she noticed how incredibly hungry she was.

After nearly scarfing down her late breakfast, she let out a satisfied sigh. Thought she _really_ didn't want to leave her room, she didn't exactly want the dirty dishes to stay and attract ants to her room either.

Quickly she gathered them up, balancing the try in one hand as she pulled her door open with the other. Depositing the dishes into the kitchen sink as quickly as possible, she turned to find her mother standing in the entryway to the kitchen, holding a silver thermos in hand. Myra hadn't even heard her enter the room.

"I made some hot tea for your friend," she said, holding the thermos out to her. "It should help him feel better. Would you take it up to him?"

A protest already forming on her lips, she was silenced by the reproving look her mother sent her.

"Fine," she grumbled as she took the thermos from her mother's grasp.

* * *

This was exactly what she _didn't_ want to be doing. And though she felt guilty for purposefully avoiding Ryou, she stuffed the feeling down and locked it away, not feeling that now was the time or place to dump her feeling out and examine them one at a time beneath a microscope.

She knocked lightly upon her friend's door, steeling herself for whatever confrontation was to come. Who would be on the other side of the door?

Ryou? Or Bakura?

She silently cursed her mother. Why couldn't _she_ have brought the tea up herself if she was so concerned? The answer was that her clever mother had probably guessed the true reason behind her daughter's distress and this was her way of making her face her problems, rather than hiding from them.

Well, perhaps not the _true_ reason she was upset, but rather had guessed that it had something to do with Ryou, though she knew not what.

A few more idle moments passed by, and still there was no answer. She knocked again, harder this time. Perhaps he just hadn't heard her before? Or was he ignoring her? Giving a quick glance around to make sure no one was around to witness her next action, she carefully leaned forward, pressing her ear to the door, straining her hearing in an attempt to detect any movement or noise from the other side that would announce the presence of another human.

The minutes ticked by, and still nothing. Nothing to make her believe that there was another living human being on the other side. Maybe something was wrong? Should she just go in and check on him? Ryou would understand that she had come in uninvited out of concern, right?

She lifted her hand and placed it on the cool metal of the knob, and just as she was about to turn it, she stopped. Pushing herself away from the wooden door, she placed the thermos on the ground before his door, hoping he would see it whenever he decided to come out.

She would never know if he had left his door unlocked for her that day, and she would never know which of the two beings that inhabited that body waited for her on the other side. She turned and walked away, leaving with more questions than she had come with.

And there was no ignoring the sick feeling of dread that tightened the knot in her stomach and left a hollow ache in her chest.

* * *

Monday came surprisingly quick, and before she knew it she was standing before the front doors to Domino High, watching the other students mill about before the day's classes began. She quickly picked Yugi's group out of the crowd, and without even noticing she found her legs carrying her to them. As she approached, the teens fell quiet, all of them gazing at her rather oddly.

"What?" she asked, feeling as if they were all able to see the insecurity she was trying so desperately to conceal from them.

Joey stepped forward, an almost mischievous glint in his eye. Without warning, both of his hands shot out, his thumb and index finger of each hand latching onto the skin of her cheeks, lightly pinching and pulling until the corners of her lips pulled up in a crude imitation of a smile.

"Why're ya frowning?" he asked, still maintaining his grip on her face. "You should smile instead. You're much prettier when you smile," he said with a grin, finally releasing his hold on her. It was a good thing too, because her cheeks had been starting to ache.

"I guess you're right, thank you," she said, giving him the first real smile she had to offer since returning from her father's. When his hands came down upon her shoulders, she glanced up to meet his now serious gaze.

"If anyone is giving ya trouble, you just let me know. And Joey Wheeler will take care of 'em, no problem," he said, pointing to himself with his thumb and a wink.

Her heart swelled, grateful to the blonde boy for his concern. "Thank you," she started, "but no one is giving me any sort of trouble. If they do, I will be sure that you are the first to know," she finished with another smile. It was amazing how easily he could lighten her mood with such a simple gesture.

He grinned again, stepping away from her and clearing the path to the circle of his friends. She was pleased to see Yugi, as always, and Tristan and Duke were fairly welcoming, though their attention was once again caught up in some sort of debate. Teá was unusually silent, only speaking when she was directly spoken to, and Myra didn't miss the fact that the previous hostility was no longer there. Overall, it was a rather casual setting, one that she felt she could get used to, given time. The only member of the little group that was missing was Ryou.

"Yugi," she said, placing a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "Could I ask a favor of you?" She eyed the large golden pendant that hung about his neck, hoping he would catch her drift.

"Sure, Myra. What do you need?" he asked with his usual cheerful attitude.

"Actually, I was hoping I could talk to you alone. Perhaps…I could meet you after school?"

He nodded. "As long as you don't mind going to my place after school. I need to help my grandpa with a few chores."

"That sounds great," she agreed. "I'll meet you here after the last bell," she said, just as the first warning bell began to chime.

She needed some answers, and Yugi was the only person that she felt she could turn to for them.

* * *

School flew by in a rush, and Myra was grateful for the fact. Perhaps it was because she had been so distracted the entire day through that she couldn't seem to remember even a minute of it. But she wasn't going to complain about that, not when she was so anxious about her meeting with Yugi.

He was right where they had agreed to meet, and she noticed that he appeared to be even smaller without his usual group of friends surrounding him.

"Yugi!" she called, waving to him to catch his attention. She smiled when those amethyst eyes turned to her and he smiled in return. "Thanks for waiting," she said as she as she came to a stop beside him.

"Of course," he replied cheerfully. It didn't seem as if the small boy had the capacity to be anything but kind. "Let's go," he said, leading the way off campus and towards a part of town that looked to be vaguely familiar.

"Hey, Yugi," Myra started, a thought striking her as they walked. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, Joey and Tristan were too hungry to wait, so they went ahead to get food. Teá was going to check out some dance classes, and Duke runs his own game shop, so he has to be there most days," Yugi explained.

"I see." Though she had asked to speak to Yugi alone, she thought that the close knit group of friends would at least walk part-way with them.

Small talk was made the rest of the walk to Yugi's home, covering all sorts of subjects; from Yugi's love of games to Myra's old life in the countryside. It was during this time that Myra discovered that she rather enjoyed the short boy's company.

"Here we are." Yugi announced, stopping in front of the game shop he called home.

"I know this place," Myra chirped. "This is one of the shops Ryou showed me when me when he gave me a tour of the city." Her mood instantly darkened as soon as she uttered her pale friend's name. She had come here seeking answers, and she wouldn't let herself be so easily distracted.

Yugi ushered her inside where they were greeted by a short, older man with grey hair and an easy smile. This, she quickly learned, was Yugi's grandfather as well as the owner of the shop she stood in. _Well, this would explain Yugi's love of games, _she thought to herself with a smile.

"Good to meet you, Myra," Mr. Muto said warmly. "Any friend of Yugi's is welcome here. Would you care for some snacks? Something to drink?" he offered.

"No, thank you," she declined politely. It was rare for her to refuse food, but with the chaotic thoughts racing through her mind as of late, she just hadn't had much of an appetite.

Yugi and his grandfather went about the few chores that were required to keep the shop in presentable order while she entertained herself by browsing about the store. She noticed that while they carried merchandise for a number of different games, the majority of their stock was centered on a card game called Duel Monsters. She was so preoccupied gazing at the set of cards behind the glass of the front counter that she didn't notice Mr. Muto until he was right beside her.

"Do you play?" he asked, startling her so bad that she jumped.

"N-no," she answered. "I've heard of it before, but it wasn't really a big thing where I'm from."

"Ah, well, it's quite popular here. There are tournaments all the time. Yugi and his friends play quite often. Even your friend Ryou has competed," he said, watching as the teen beside him stiffened at the mention of the shy boy.

"Is that so? Ryou never mentioned it," she answered softly.

"You should give it a try, you may find that you like it," the older male suggested.

"I don't think-"

"Here, I have just the thing for you," he said as he moved around to stand on the opposite side of the counter. He reached below, retrieving a simple metal box and placing it on the counter for her to see. Lifting the lid and placing it aside, he pulled out a handful of neatly stacked cards and began shuffling through them eagerly. Finally locating the one he was searching for, he shot a knowing glance at his grandson from over the girl's shoulder.

"Take this," he said, extending the chosen card out to the girl before him. "Something to start you off with, should you decide to take up the game."

Tentatively, Myra accepted the offered card, examining it carefully. The image was that of a girl with long blonde hair, dressed in a flowing white gown. In her hands she cradled a heart, and the picture was split down the middle. On the left side the atmosphere was dark, a mixture of purples, black, and blues. From her shoulder sprouted a large black wing that was demonic in form. On the girl's right shoulder was a plush, white-feathered wing, like that of an angel's, and the background was a warm mix of reds, yellows, and oranges.

"Change of Heart?" she whispered softly, missing the shudder that raced down Yugi's spine at the mention of the card that had caused he and his friends quite a bit of trouble at Duelist Kingdom when they had first encountered the dark spirit of the Millennium Ring.

"I'll think about it," she said, delicately slipping the card into one of her textbooks and then into her school bag. "Thank you," she said, both for his gift as well as his hospitality, before following Yugi up the stairs and into the upper rooms.

* * *

Once again, she missed the solemn look on the elder male's face, as well as the soft sigh that stole from his lips.

Once the pair was comfortably settled in Yugi's room, Myra perched gingerly upon the bed and Yugi on his wooden chair, Myra was finally able to relax and let her guard down.

"Yugi, how much do you know about Ryou…and Bakura?" she asked, skipping right to the point. She was through procrastinating.

"You mean the spirit of the ring?" he answered softly. He shrugged. "Ryou is our friend, he began. "And even though he has always been a little distant from the rest of us, that doesn't change anything. Ryou is a good guy, better than a lot of us, but he's had a tough life, so sometimes it's hard for him to get close to people."

Yugi glanced at her, their gazes locking as he continued. "I'm glad that he is finally opening up to someone. It's good for him, especially with the spirit constantly possessing him, making him do things that we know Ryou doesn't _want_ to do. For him to finally have found someone that can see past his darker half and see him for who he really is, must mean a lot to him. _You_ must mean a lot to him."

Myra blushed, not quite sure how Yugi was interpreting their relationship to be. Even still, his words warmed her, reminding her that even though she was confused, and even a little hurt, she still harbored strong feelings for the gentle boy.

"The spirit…Bakura as I suppose he has taken to being called, is another matter completely. We don't know who he really is, or what his motives are," he continued. "All we know is that he covets the seven Millennium Items." Yugi unconsciously laid a hand against the puzzle that rested against his chest.

Myra, taking notice of his unconscious gesture, couldn't help but ask, "Is that a part of the set?" She nodded towards the golden object.

Yugi's fingers traced the eye pattern at the front of the puzzle. "Yes," he answered. "This is the Millennium Puzzle. It took me years to put it together."

"Is it…possessed, too?"

He sighed. "Sort of," he said, almost sheepishly. "There is a spirit that resides inside it, but he is nothing like Bakura," he assured her. "The spirit of my puzzle is a friend, and we help and support each other," he said, cradling the golden object in his hands.

"Do all the Millennium Items house a spirit?"

Yugi shook his head. "I've encountered a few of the other items, but my puzzle and Ryou's ring are the only ones that I know of that are inhabited."

"Why does Bakura want all seven items so bad?"

He shrugged. "We don't know for certain, all we know is that whoever holds all seven will gain some great power. We know that power is something he wants, but we don't know _why_, or what he wants to do with it," he explained.

"I see." She already knew that Bakura was a control freak, so she supposed it was no surprise that he was so power hungry. The thought of Bakura having so much power at his disposal sent a shudder of dread down her spine.

So it wasn't just that Bakura was using Ryou as a host, as simply a means to live on, he was using him as a way to attain some great, mystical power. The idea angered her, but then again, Ryou probably already _knew _that.

She sighed, her head beginning to ache. "Thank you, Yugi," she said, rising from her seat. "I don't know if I have all the answers I was looking for, but it seems the only person I can get those from is Bakura."

"Happy to help," Yugi said, escorting her back downstairs and outside. "Feel free to drop by anytime. Maybe I can teach you how to play Duel Monsters sometime," he offered.

She nodded, waving a farewell to him as she turned to leave.

"Oh! And Myra," Yugi's voice reached her. "We're here for you, if you ever need any help," he said seriously.

Briefly, she wondered how many times she was going to be surprised by the small boy and his friends. Nodding without turning to face the boy, she took her leave, her steps easy and measured.

She didn't turn only so that he wouldn't see the hot tears of frustration leaking from her eyes.

* * *

_Author's Note: Okay so I didn't intend for it to be, but this kind of turned out to be another filler chapter =/ And it was getting pretty long, so I decided to end it there. Anyway, please review! Let me know what you think!  
_


	18. Hunting You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own my original character, Myra.**

* * *

Three days; it had been three unbearably long days. In reality, it wasn't really all that much time. But to Bakura, who had spent the past three days listening to his host wallow in self-pity, time had seemed to drag on beyond even his patience. His little host was even skipping school, _willingly_ at that, all just to avoid the girl he had become so fond of.

He had had _enough._

'_You are so weak,_' he taunted the younger boy, disgust evident in his voice. His eyes narrowed as he watched his host flinch away at his words.

Ryou glanced up, his chocolate eyes meeting those of his Yami's. It wasn't often that Bakura chose to materialize outside of the ring, and even when he did, only Ryou could see him. At the moment, he was standing over the poor boy who sat upon his living room floor. Looming over him was more like it, Ryou thought. He sighed lightly, turning his face away. He was in no mood to deal with his insufferable Yami.

What he happened to forget, was that Bakura _hated_ to be ignored. There was suddenly a rough grip upon his hair, and he was forced to meet his Yami's gaze as his head was jerked up.

Now, Ryou know that Bakura had no _real_ physical touch, as he had no body. However, the spirit was powerful enough that he was able to manipulate the poor boy's mind into thinking, into _feeling_ physical sensation, even when it was not truly there. He only resorted to this method rarely, but today was one of those days.

'_You are going to stop sniveling like a pathetic whelp, get up off the floor, and go to school,'_ he snarled, his anger finally getting the best of him. No host of his was going to be so spineless that he couldn't even face a teenage girl. Ryou was easy to manipulate, which was to his advantage, but at the same time he couldn't stand the fact that his host was so utterly feeble. It felt as if the younger boy wasn't even trying to resist him anymore.

"I don't want-" he stopped short as there was another painful tug at his scalp.

'_Little Hikari, you _will _be going, or I will be going for you,' _he threatened. The boy's eyes widened, but he made no move to remove himself from the submissive position, silently challenging the spirit.

Bakura growled, tightening his grip harshly for a moment before he mercifully released his host. '_So be it._'

* * *

How he _hated_ large crowds of people. He didn't see how his Light could stand to be surrounded by so many other bodies for such a long period of time. He growled darkly as he shoved his way through the masses, trying to make his way to the front doors of the school, ignoring anyone who called out his host's name. They weren't really the boy's friends anyway. They were mostly girls, trying to make a pass at him, and he ignored them without remorse. He had only one thing on his mind

He had only one thing on his mind.

_Find the girl._

If she was the key to ending his host's mindless moping, then he would hunt her down, and force her to fix his host.

* * *

Myra had the distinct impression that she was being watched. She glanced around at her fellow students. Most were focusing intently on their teacher and the lesson he was giving, some were doodling, and others in the back were dozing off, struggling to stay awake. She studies each individual person in the room, her jade eyes finally meeting confused amethyst ones.

Yugi was staring at her with so much intensity that it was almost unnerving. Though the closer she watched him in return, the less and less it seemed that he was actually watching _her._ His was gazing past her, out the window.

Curiously, she followed his line of sight until she too was facing the window, her eyes searching for whatever it was that Yugi was examining so carefully.

She almost didn't see him.

Standing in the empty classroom across from them, was Ryou, standing before the window. Her heart skipped a beat.

What was he doing over there? Especially when he should be in class?

Upon closer examination, she saw that from the telltale spikey hair and narrowed mahogany eyes, that this was not Ryou.

Bakura returned her stare with almost scary intensity. She shivered. Why was _Bakura_ taking Ryou's place in school? She highly doubted it was because the spirit wished to obtain a modern education. She snickered at the absurdity of the thought. She couldn't picture the spirit sitting patiently behind a desk and taking notes as thoroughly as his host did, paying rapt attention to their instructor.

As it was, he just so happened to be paying that much attention to _her._ Her stomaching was tightening into knots at the sensation of his eyes on her. She glanced back at Yugi, who only raised an eyebrow at her in question. She could read the silent message that he asked her.

_Will you go?_

She wasn't entirely sure. Half of her wanted to chase Bakura down and bombard him with questions, and the other half of her wanted to stay firmly seated where she was and avoid the entire confrontation.

Yugi shrugged at her, and in that simple gesture she knew that he would not judge her, no matter what her decision was. _Do what you have to do,_ his eyes seemed to say.

She made her decision.

Raising her hand, the teacher stopped mid-sentence. "Yes, Myra?" he asked, looking forward to a question from an eager student. Se almost felt sorry for having to disappoint him.

"Excuse me, Sir," she started, her hands moving down to cover her lower abdomen. "I'm not feeling very well," she said in a falsely strained voice. "May I be excused to the restroom, I'm having a feminine problem," she said, knowing that with most guys the subject of menstruation was bound to make them squeamish, and her teacher was no exception.

He went a noticeably pale at her words. "Y-yes, g-go on then," he stammered, making shooing motions with his hands. It took everything she had in her not to grin in triumph.

She leaned down to grab her school bag from beneath her desk and she silently met Yugi's eyes. He was blushing, clearly embarrassed by what she had said, but the sly grin he shot her let her know that he knew she had lied. Still, she saw no judgment in his amethyst eyes, only silent encouragement as he silently cheered her on.

Scooping up her belongings and scurrying out of the classroom, she shut the door behind her gently, and she didn't miss the nervous laughter from the students she had left behind. Ah, well, let them think what they wish, she had more important things to attend to.

* * *

The halls were rather deserted at this time of day, but she knew that the minutes were ticking away until the bell rang that would signal the release of the school's student population for their lunch break. She knew she had to be quick in hunting down her query.

She knew that by now she was on the right side of the building where she had glimpsed Bakura, she was just unsure as to which room he was in. She took to leaning close to the doors, listening to see if there was a class in session behind it. If it was empty, she would poke her head in, glancing around for the familiar mane of white hair. But time and time again she came up empty handed.

She gazed at the clock that hung above one of the classroom doors, only five minutes until lunch started, and she still hadn't been able to track down Bakura, and she was close to giving up. Perhaps he didn't want to be found?

She was so caught up in watching the clock that she didn't notice the silent figure that crept up behind her until it was too late.

* * *

This was too _easy._ She was completely oblivious to his presence, though it was painfully clear that she had been attempting to seek him out. He was practically upon her already, and she still had yet to realize he was there.

And thought it wasn't his intent to scare her, he just couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a little fun before they got down to business.

Stepping silently behind her, he watched as she stopped in her tracks, and for a moment he thought he had been detected. However, all she had stopped for was to glance despairingly at the clock above her. Following her gaze, he saw that only five minutes remained until they would be ambushed with by the mass of greedy students eager to attain their afternoon meal.

He heard her quiet sigh, and decided that his time stalking his prey was through, and it was time to pounce. He allowed her to take a few steps more before he rushed after her, his hands coming down heavily on her shoulders and pushing her up against the wall between the nearest classroom and an unused storage closet.

She let out a startled yelp as he pushed himself against her, trapping her between the wall and his body. "Looking for me?" he breathed against her ear, noticing as she shuddered against him.

"B-Bakura," she stuttered, making no move to struggle against him. He was surprised, as the last time he had her in a similar position she had done nothing but fight him until she had realized it was futile.

"Surprised?" He could feel her quaking against him, and he found that he quite enjoyed the sensation of her trembling in his hold, his body pressed close to hers.

"N-no," she answered. "But, Bakura…what are you doing here? Where is Ryou?" Still, she made no move to push him away.

_Curious,_ he thought to himself. She didn't see disappointed to see him, only confused.

"Bakura," she whispered, drawing his attention back to her. "The time-" she started, only to be cut off by the chiming of the lunch bell.

They were out of time. He cursed, separating himself from her quickly before anyone could witness their intimate position. The last thing he needed was to deal with the moronic teachers and their rules. He needed to move this conversation, and fast.

Glancing to his right, he spotted the utility closet, and grabbing her wrist in an almost bruising grip, he dragged her toward it. He pulled the door open so roughly that he almost tore it from its weak hinges, and without a second thought he threw the girl inside and followed suit, slamming the door shut behind them with just as much force. Luckily, it locked from the inside, unless you had a key, of course.

He waited silently, listening to the sounds of voices filling the halls and the stampede of footsteps as students filed out of their classes, eager to see their friends and gorge themselves on the slop his host called 'cafeteria food.'

A majority of the voices faded away, although it seemed as if there were a few small groups of kids that chose to linger in the halls, most likely those who had brought lunches from home or that were not sociable enough to feel comfortable within a large crowd.

He grinned maliciously. It seemed as if they were going to be trapped together for some time, he may as well make use of it.

He glanced back, finding Myra to be watching him with an apprehensive, if not a bit frightened expression. She was studying him, and she made no attempt to hide it. Was she scared? Excited? Did she even know how vulnerable she was to him?

Most likely not. And why was that, he wondered. Perhaps she didn't know who she was _really_ trapped with. Well then, maybe it was time that he showed her just who he really was.

Myra found herself in quite the predicament. Here she was, trapped in a small school utility closet, with none other than the spirit of the Millennium Ring. And while she had been the one to seek him out with the intent of questioning him, she had _not_ expected to be trapped in an enclosed space with him for any amount of time. And while the lunch period was only forty minutes long, it seemed as if it would be an eternity before it was safe for them to leave, lest they be spotted by her peers and some rather unfortunate rumors were to be spread.

She sighed, resigning to keep her wits about her, no matter what Bakura did. However, she knew from past experience that this was easier said than done.

Bakura crossed his arms and leaned casually against the door, blocking her only escape. "You were looking for me," he stated coolly.

"Yes," she answered, wrapping her arms about herself in a vain attempt to ward off the chill. "I was hoping we could…talk."

"Well," he drawled, "you have me all to yourself for the next forty minutes." He smirked, enjoying the way she seemed to squirm at his words. "So talk," he ordered.

Myra sighed. This was harder than she thought it was going to be. "How is Ryou?" she asked softly. She missed her gentle friend, and not seeing him for so long was beginning to wear on her.

The spirit was silent, and she almost thought that he wasn't going to answer. "He is…not himself lately," he murmured in answer.

That coming from the person that knew Ryou's thoughts the most intimately was a bit of a shock. It almost sounded as if Bakura was_ concerned_ for his host. But that couldn't be right, could it?

"Is he unwell?"

"I have done him no harm, if that is what you're implying," he grumbled. He stepped closer to her, effectively backing her into the wall. While he had been known to throw tantrums and destroy the belongings of his lighter half, he had never physically harmed the boy, save for the exhaustion he would feel the next morning from the spirit's antics.

His face came close to hers, so close she could feel his breath fan across her face and his long hair tickle her neck. "Ryou's pain is _my_ pain, remember that," he growled. "Everything that Ryou feels, I feel, too."

He wasn't even touching her, yet her heart beat still accelerated at how close he was, and she was fairly certain he could hear her racing pulse. She turned her face away, a light blush coloring her cheeks at not only his close proximity, but at his words as well. "Everything?" she whispered.

She didn't miss the wry grin that pulled at his lips. "_Everything,_" he growled, and she could swear that she had felt the vibrations of his chest against her own. "Ryou doesn't know how to mask his thoughts and emotions from me. In fact, with his complete lack of know-how when it comes to our bond, he almost _forces_ them on me." He paused, as if contemplating his next words.

Suddenly, he gripped her chin between thumb and forefinger, lifting her gaze to meet his. He leaned in even closer, his nose brushing against her cheek and his lips barely connecting with the shell of her ear. "I know everything he's ever done, everything he's ever thought of doing, and," he paused again; pleased to note that she was hanging off his every word. "I know every single secret he holds in his heart," he finished, watching the girl before him carefully.

She didn't answer him for what felt like minutes, though in reality it was only a few seconds that had passed by. "Can he hear us right now?" she questioned, her eyes searching his.

He shook his head, his lips brushing the flushed skin of her cheek at the motion.

"Can I ask you a favor, then?" she asked timidly, and he didn't miss the slight quiver in her voice.

"You may. However, you will be in my debt, should I grant you this favor," he warned.

She fell silent again, thinking carefully over whether she wanted to put herself in Bakura's debt, to owe him something in return.

"I accept," she whispered softly. He grunted in return, waiting for her request. "I want to see Ryou," she stated flatly. "But I know that if he has any idea I'm coming, he'll be sure to try and avoid me," she explained. She took a deep breath. "I want to come to your-I mean Ryou's apartment tonight. I'll sneak out after my mom goes to bed. I want you to be in control, to let me in. And then switch with Ryou, and he won't be able to run from me then," she finished.

Bakura chuckled mirthlessly. "I know why he hides from you, Myra. Why not just ask?"

"Because I want to hear it from him," she countered.

He laughed again. "Alright, I'll play along. Be there at midnight, and try not to let anyone see you." He moved away from her, his lips brushing against her again as he pulled his face away from hers. He backed away from her, his hand resting upon the brass doorknob and his ear pressing against the door. "It seems to have gone silent," he stated, turning the lock and poking his head out.

_Have we really been in here that long? _Myra mused. She must have not heard the bell that signaled the end of lunch, and that meant that fifth period had already started.

Bakura stepped out, holding the door open with a look of impatience on his face, and as soon as she was in the hallway with him he slammed it shut behind her. She winced at the harsh sound, hoping that it wouldn't draw any curious students or faculty from the nearby classrooms.

She heard footsteps behind her, and as she turned she caught sight of Bakura, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets, walking away from her. "Where are you going?" she called after him. "There are still two more classes before school is over."

He shrugged. "I didn't come here to take my host's classes for him. I did what I came here to do; there is no reason for me to stay any longer. Besides," he paused, turning back to look at her. "I can't stand to be in a place like this any longer. Can you?" he questioned. Without waiting for an answer, he continued down the hall, smirking to himself when he heard the sound of her light footsteps trailing behind him.

* * *

_Author's Note: Aright, here it is! Hopefully the weight wasn't too long this time!_

_I'd like to take a quick moment to thank my two regular reviewers; **ObsidianPhantom **and **L. **, thank you guys! It's good to know that there are still people who haven't completely given up on me! Your reviews make me want to really finish this, so thank you again!_

_Alright, so, anyone care to guess how their little rendezvous will pan out? I'd love to here hat you think ^_^_

_Anyway, review please, I love hearing from you!_


	19. Three's Company

**Disclaimer: I don not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own my original character, Myra.**

* * *

The house was eerily quiet, and she knew that she should have been in bed long ago. The only sound that could be heard was the light snoring of her mother in the next room over, signaling that she was sound asleep. Luckily for her, her mother had become a quick and sound sleeper, the result of working two jobs, no doubt.

She had never been the rebellious type, so sneaking out was something that she was unaccustomed to, but this was something she felt she _had_ to do. If it meant mending the rift that had formed between her and Ryou, then she would do whatever it took.

She dressed for warmth, remembering the last time she had been in Ryou's apartment at night, and how she had felt the chill of the place right down to her bones. Donning a pair of thick black sweats and a black pull-over sweatshirt, she examined herself in the mirror. While her outfit wasn't flattering, making her appear to be without any curves at all, it did give her a certain sense of comfort. She tied her auburn hair up in a high pony-tail before slipping on her slippers, grabbing her key from atop her dresser, and exiting her room, careful to make as little noise as possible as she shut her bedroom door behind her.

Now was the hard part. Treading carefully down the hall, she winced as every squeaky floorboard seemed to squeal much louder than normal. It felt as if she were pausing every few seconds or so, listening intently for any sign of her mother waking. When she finally reached the front door she heaved a sigh of relief before quickly making her escape, making sure to lock the door behind her.

The hall was deserted, thankfully, but she still scurried quickly up the stairs, checking over her shoulder to make sure there was no one to witness her sneaking around. Coming to a stop before Ryou's door, she rapped upon it lightly with her knuckles, not wanting to make too much noise.

_I hope Bakura remembers our deal,_ she thought to herself. She didn't completely trust the spirit not to double-cross her somehow.

When she received no answer, she glanced once over each shoulder, ensuring that she was alone, before reaching to the top of the door frame and running her fingers along it, searching for the spare key that she knew Ryou hid there.

When her fingers brushed across cool metal, she grinned triumphantly as she slipped the key into the lock, opening the door and placing the key back in its hiding place. Opening the door just enough for her to slide inside, she shut it behind her softly, not surprised to find the apartment blanketed in complete darkness.

_How like him,_ she thought.

She remained still, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark, her fingers turning the lock behind her, the echoing _click_ sending shivers down her spine. Taking a step forward, she put her hands out, feeling around to make sure she didn't collide with a wall or a piece of furniture. She remembered that Ryou's apartment had the same layout as her own, and with that in mind she slowly made her way to his bedroom, assuming that was where Bakura was waiting for her.

As she made her way to the back of the apartment, a golden light became visible; softly at first, but then it grew steadily brighter until it was almost blinding. Lifting a hand to shield her eyes, she continued forward until she came to the open door of Ryou's room.

"Bakura?" she called wearily. The light suddenly dimmed, though it didn't fade out completely. As her eyes adjusted to the new lighting, she saw that the source of the light was the Millennium Ring, which hung about Bakura's neck as he sat casually upon the bed.

"So you came," his voice floated to her, not bothering to mask his amusement. "I see you let yourself in," he commented, rising to his feet and circling around her, coming to a stop behind her so that he blocked the door with his body. "Are you and my little host that _close_ that he allows you to come and go as you please?"

"I think you're misunderstanding the kind of relationship we have," she mumbled, turning to face him, uncomfortable with having him at her back.

"Really?" he growled. His hands were upon her then, gripping her shoulders tightly and pushing her back until the backs of her legs hit the bed, and she stumbled backwards. She was lying sideways across the bed, Bakura sitting atop her thighs, a dark fire in his eyes. "I think it's _you_ who misunderstands," he whispered.

This position was all too familiar, visions of when he had forced himself on her flooded her mind. The only difference between now and then was…she wasn't fighting him. A warm blush colored her cheeks, and she squirmed in discomfort beneath him. Right now wasn't the time to figure out why her feelings towards the spirit had changed, and what they had changed to. She was here to see Ryou.

"I-I don't know what you mean," she said, lifting her hands and placing them against his chest, giving a weak attempt to push him off, though there was no conviction behind the action. He would have none of it, though. His hands found her wrists, and he pushed them away, pinning her arms to the bed at her sides. Her breath was coming in shallow pants now, and she wasn't sure if it was from fear, apprehension, or something else entirely.

He studied her carefully, his mahogany eyes boring into her jade ones, his fingers warm against the flesh of her wrists. Her heart was poundings so rapidly, she wondered if he could feel her pulse through her wrists. "We shall see," he murmured cryptically.

Without warning, his hands moved to grip her waist, and before she could make a move against him, he had rolled, reversing their positions so that he lay on his back and she straddled his waist. He grinned up at her, and she had to admit the view wasn't unappealing.

Strange feelings twisted in her stomach as she stared down at him, and instead of scrambling away from him now that she was free, she remained seated atop him. His hands still remained on her waist, holding her in place as his thumbs traced small circles on her hips through her clothes. The sensation was strange, though not unpleasant, and she closed her eyes, trying to gain control over her breathing and heart rate.

"Myra?" she heard a soft voice call to her. Glancing down, she found a familiar pair of soft chocolate eyes staring up at her.

"Ryou," she breathed, surprised and relieved all at the same time. She noticed the intense blush that was coloring her friend's cheeks as he took in the intimate position they were in. "Sorry," she murmured, shifting against him as she tried to remove herself from his lap. But the pair of hands still on her waist didn't release their grip, preventing her from moving far.

She stilled against him, swallowing down her heart which had suddenly jumped into her throat. She noticed Ryou's eyes had taken on a much darker light as he gazed at her, his eyes moving from her face to her chest, then down to her stomach, hips, and finally to her thighs, which were still straddled around his middle.

His hands moved from her hips down to her legs, caressing softly before moving back up to her stomach, his cool fingers pushing beneath the hem of her sweatshirt, brushing against the heated flesh of her stomach. Her breath hitched, all of her muscles tensing in anticipation of something that was unknown to her.

Was this real, or was this just another dream? Myra, here, with him, it was something he had dreamed of a few times over, ever since that morning when he had awoken to find her in nothing but her underwear in his bed. Sure, he had been riddled with guilt, but at the same time he had relived that moment over and over again when he was alone. Overtime, those memories had morphed into something more. No longer were they just the heated memories of a stolen moment, but instead the daydreams of a boy too insecure to do anything in the waking world.

But something about this fantasy seemed..off, but he just couldn't place his finger on what it was. The look on her face wasn't right. Usually, she was gazing at him with complete adoration, encouraging him with those mesmerizing eyes of hers. But now, there was a mixture of emotions lingering in her jade depths; confusion, fear, excitement, and even nervousness.

The second thing he noticed that wasn't consistent with his usual delusions, was the fact that there was a heavy, solid weight on his chest. He instantly recognized the feeling of the cool metal through his shirt, and didn't even have to glance down to know that it was the Millennium Ring that rested upon his chest.

"Is this real?" he voiced his earlier thought aloud. His fingers were still beneath her shirt, his eyes locked on hers.

"Ryou, are you alright?" she answered, her hands moving to the hem of her shirt, pulling it down but making no move to remove his hands.

Yes, this _had_ to be real. There was no other explanation for the inconsistencies between now and his previous day-dreams. He withdrew his hands quickly, startling the girl above him. Without thinking, he pushed himself up and into a sitting position, bringing his face so close to hers that their breath was mingling. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt in an effort to keep herself from toppling back at his sudden movement and she inadvertently brought him even closer.

"What are you doing here?" he breathed, their lips mileometers apart. Just the slightest movement and they would be touching. He didn't miss the stricken look that crossed his friend's face. "N-not that you're not welcome here!" he corrected himself. He couldn't stand to see such a hurt expression on her face.

"But you didn't expect me," she whispered, her breath ghosting over his lips tantalizingly.

"No," he answered just as softly. He wouldn't lie to her.

_Keeping secrets is the same as lying,_ Bakura's voice echoed softly in his mind, reminding him of hidden affections he harbored for Myra. He pushed the thought away.

"Because we've been avoiding each other," she stated bluntly. "Not just me, and not just you. We've _both_ been doing it."

He nodded. It hurt beyond belief to be separated from her, and he knew that he would not be able to handle if their friendship were to end. It would tear him apart.

"We need to talk," she whispered, releasing her hold on his shirt front and removing herself from his lap. Unsurprisingly, he missed the heat of her against him. She moved to sit beside him on the bed, close enough that their shoulders just barely touched, but it was enough for him.

The room seemed suddenly cooler, and he glance up, surprised to see that Bakura had chosen to materialize outside the ring. He was dressed in the same gray jeans and dark blue shirt that Ryou wore, leaning almost causally against the adjacent wall, his arms crossed over his chest and and amused smirk puling at his lips.

_I don't think this is any of your business, _Ryou thought, almost angrily.

_'Wrong, Hikari. This _is_ my business,'_ the spirit answered in a voice that only Ryou could hear.

There was no use in arguing with the spirit right now, it would get him no where. However, unless it became a problem, he would refrain from mentioning Bakura's presence to Myra, it would just make her uncomfortable to know that they had an eavesdropper listening in on their conversation.

"I have a feeling we've both been doing this for...very different reasons," he began. He scratched his head anxiously. "I'm not sure where to start," he admitted sheepishly.

Myra nodded in understanding. "I guess...well, I just feel so...useless, so weak," he said in a small voice.

_'You are weak, Hikari,_' Bakura's voice floated to him, but he ignored it.

"That night that boy attacked you, I wasn't able to do _anything_," he said softly. "I shouldn't have left you two alone, but I wasn't thinking like that. When I realized what was happening, I could only watch." He looked up at her, his soft chocolate eyes meeting hers, and he made no effort to hide the tears that were collecting on his lashes. "I was too terrified to move, to come to you, and if it weren't for the spirit, so much worse would have happened to you."

_'That's not the only reason, little host. Admit it. Tell her just how deep your weak emotions go.'_

"It was _Bakura_ that had to come to your rescue, _Bakura _who had to punish your attacker, _Bakura_ who took you home, who made sure you were safe,"he said, his voice nearly a growl that reminded her of the spirit he spoke of. "And what's worse, I don't even feel _bad_ about what happened to that boy. He _deserved _it," he said darkly.

A sob escaped his throat. "Does that make me as bad as _him?_" he asked weakly. The tears ran unchecked down his cheeks, the pain evident in his expression. It was not like Ryou to have such dark thoughts, or to wish another person ill, but even he had a limit.

_'No, not yet. You have the beginnings of darkness, but you have a long way to go before you are anything like me.' _The spirit's words were not comforting. He shuddered. The idea of being anything like the spirit that possessed him was not something he wished to dwell on.

"Are you cold?" Myra asked, noticing as he shivered. Her hand touched his hair, brushing it away so she could see his face more clearly. She could see that there was something more troubling him, but she was reluctant to push the issue.

"You don't feel it?" he asked in return. "That's not just a breeze from a cracked window. We're not alone," he said softy, his gaze absently siding to where Bakura's incorporeal form still lounged against the wall.

Myra's gaze followed his, but she saw nothing but the bare walls of Ryou's room.

"Bakura is here, with us, just over there," he explained. "Though you can't see him, he's there. Watching. Listening. Planning," he whispered.

"But...I thought he could only exist through you," Myra asked, not understanding.

"Physically, yes. He is powerful enough that he can materialize outside the ring, however only I can see him because of our...bond. He can still see, and hear, however to experience physical sensation, like taste and touch, he has to go through me."

Myra was silent, as if contemplating his words, her eyes focusing on the spot where Ryou had indicated the spirit was. Little did she know that as she unconsciously watched him, Bakura studied her in return, a devious smirk pulling at his lips. He moved toward her, bringing with him the telltale chill that would alert her to his close presence.

He moved to sit behind her on the bed, and had he a physical body her back would have been flush against his chest. How he wished he could have felt her shiver against him when she felt his chill against her. He placed his hands upon her shoulders, moving them slowly down her arms and back up again before tailing his fingers down her back and around to her ribs, down her sides and waist before settling on her hips.

The way she shook was so enticing it took every ounce of self-control that Bakura had to keep from forcibly taking over his host's body and repeating his actions with a physical touch. _Another time, perhaps. _He didn't miss the fact that his host's eyes watched his every move with barely concealed envy.

_'You're not telling her everything.' _he reminded him. He dipped his head down to Myra's neck, his lips ghosting over her flesh.

"R-Ryou," she gasped, unable to control her trembling . "What's going on?" She was so cold. So much colder than she had been a few minutes ago, as if she had suddenly been encased in ice.

Ryou reached out, his warm hands landing on her shoulders and rubbing the tops of her arms, trying to create friction and warmth for his friend, as well as trying to erase the evidence of his Yami's attentions to her. A dark feeling stirred I him when Bakura laid his hands on her, even if he wasn't actually _touching_ her.

"It's him," he explained. "Right now, his touch isn't physical, but he is the source of the chill you're feeling."

"So...that means..." she trailed off, her head tilting to the side to glance behind her where she was coldest. That meant he was right behind her, didn't it? At her friend's serious nod, she shivered, though not entirely from the cold this time.

"What about you?" Ryou's voice came to her quietly. "You said we're both to blame, and I told you why I've been avoiding coming to school, or to come see you. So, what is your reason?" he asked. He didn't miss the knowing smirk that Bakura shot him over Myra's shoulder, but he chose to ignore it for the moment.

He watched as she fidgeted nervously. "I...I was, I _am _confused about...my feelings," she murmured softly.

Ryou stared. Did he just imagine the words that had left her lips? "What kind of feelings?" he ventured. He knew it would be unwise to get his hopes up, but how he wanted her to feel something for him, as he did for her.

She blushed and turned her face away, not wanting to meet his gaze. "I...really like you, Ryou," she started, missing the way he seemed to hold his breath at her words. "You're a really important friend, and you mean a lot to me. But..." she trailed off, having difficulty finding the right words.

Ryou could feel his heart beginning to sink. He knew it was too good to be true.

"But I don't know if friendship is strictly what I feel for you anymore," she finished, her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap, her cheeks burning hotly with embarrassment. Her heart was pounding against her ribs, and she felt as if she were holding her breath. She received no answer except silence, and she could already feel tears forming. She had never been rejected before, but then again she had never told a boy that she had liked them either. And somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice was berating her for having feelings for a friend.

"Do...you really meant that?" Ryou's soft voice interrupted her silent moping. He was watching her intently, his attention focused on nothing save her. His pale hands moved from her arms to cup her face, gently tilting her head so that she was forced to look at him. The contact made both of them blush harder, though neither pulled away.

He made no attempt to hide the hope in his voice, and his Yami scoffed at him for showing what he deemed as weakness. His touch was light upon her face, his fingers barely brushing her cheeks as he cradled her face. He could feel the heat of her flush against his skin, and he yearned to feel more of it.

She gazed at him openly, no longer bothering to hide her face from him. What was the point? This was Ryou, her closest friend since she had moved to Domino. He had exposed his fears to her numerous times already, and he was doing so even now. The least she could do was return that trust. She would not lie to him.

"Yes," she answered. She did like Ryou, and being here with him like this was not as uncomfortable as she had initially believed it would be. In fact, she was surprisingly content to this close to him, with his hands on her, as innocent of a touch as it was. She was embarrassed, yes, as she had never done this sort of thing before, but she had a feeling that the same was for Ryou.

_Now you have what you've always wanted, right? _Bakura taunted him, moving from behind Myra over to Ryou's side.

He was only able to ignore the spirit due to years of practice. Normally, it could be disastrous to ignore his Yami, though right now the girl before him was more important. He would deal with Bakura later.

The smile that lit up his face was stunning, and it was unlike any smile he had ever graced her with before. It was sincerely happy, and mixed in there was relief and pure joy. "That makes me very happy," he cooed, his fingers absently moving against her face as he leaned closer to her, bumping their foreheads together softly.

_How disgustingly sweet._

Myra's eyes drifted closed. His face was so close, and though she was enjoying said closeness, she was embarrassed to look him in the eyes, and there was no where else to look. She could feel his breath fanning against her face, and his shared body heat helped ward off the chill that the spirit brought with him.

_You're so close, little Light. Just _do _it._ And for once, he willingly gave into his darker half's encouragements.

Ever so slowly, he brought his lips down to hers in the most chaste of kisses. She froze against him, and he watched her through hooded eyes, gauging her reaction carefully. When she made no move to push him away, he leaned against her more firmly, tilting his head and slanting his lips against hers.

He was not demanding, nor was he rough, and even though his action had surprised her, Myra found herself responding to him. He was timid, gentle, and soft. Everything that she knew Ryou to be.

This meant he liked her in return, right? She could think of no other reason why he had been so elated, and why he would be kissing her I he felt otherwise. However, she wouldn't think now, she would simply feel.

She shivered when Ryou's hands moved from her face down her neck, past her shoulders and to her waist, his fingers light and exploring. He put more pressure against her lips, his hair tickling her neck as he moved closer. Myra tilted off balance, the result of Ryou leaning into her so much, and they tumbled over, Myra landing on her back with Ryou above her.

They separated for only a moment, just long enough to catch their breath before their lips connected again. Ryou's arms were positioned so that he was balancing on his elbows which were placed on each side of her head, and he placed a knee on each side of her legs, caging her beneath him. Her hands found their way to his chest, and her fingers knotted in the fabric of his shirt in fistfuls, effectively bringing him closer still.

And though it was becoming increasingly difficult to breath, the two teens were reluctant to separate from each other, but the need for oxygen was greater. It was Ryou who broke the heated kiss, his breath coming in soft pants that mimicked hose of the girl beneath him.

"Ryou," she whispered, her face flushed and her eyes hazy. Strangely, she was having the hardest time focusing on anything save for the white-haired boy who was still hovering above her, and it seemed as if he were in a similar state of mind.

As they fought to catch their breath, Ryou's senses slowly came back to them, and he realized what a compromising position he had placed his friend in. Not that he wasn't enjoying it, but he felt that this was not the time to succumb to such desires, especially when he wasn't sure exactly where they stood with each other.

He sat back, reaching out to grasp Myra's hand and help her up as well. "Are you alright?" he asked softly. He noticed that the focus was coming back into her eyes, which was a sign that she had come to the same realization that he he had.

"Yes," she answered, accepting his offered hand and allowing him to pull her up into a sitting position as well. Her heart was still thundering wildly in her chest, and she desperately wanted to stay and figure out what had just happened, as well as what they were going to do now.

But now was not the time. It was late, and she had to return to her own bed and get some sleep before school started the next day. "I should go," she whispered, wondering if she was leaving them in a better or worse situation than when she had come.

She stood, and Ryou rose with her, a hand lightly resting on her upper arm. Though neither wanted to admit it, they were both grateful for the innocent contact especially after what had just passed between them.

The walk to the door was silent, the only sounds that of their shuffling feet against the carpet. "Ryou," Myra murmured. "Promise me that you will come to school tomorrow," she said, turning to face him in the open doorway. "I'd like to see you," she said, her words so soft that he almost missed them.

"I promise," he answered just as softly. Like her, he had had enough time apart, to the point where it was almost unbearable. He wanted to see her as well. He could only hope that things would not be awkward the next day.

She turned and left him there, no words of farewell escaping her lips. She felt that if she didn't make her escape now that her resolve would crumble and she would follow Ryou back inside his apartment.

As the teens went their separate ways for the night, neither one paid much mind to the spirit that had been tormenting them only a few minutes prior. Even his host missed the dark scowl that marred his features as he watched them from down the hall. What was worse, neither of them noticed as that scowl turned into the infamous smirk that could only mean Bakura was scheming.

* * *

_AN: Wow, this was a really long chapter O.o The longest I have written in a while. _

_So this update took a little bit longer than I had originally planned, but I hop it was worth the wait!_

_Truthfully, this was actually a really hard chapter for me to write. I kept going back and changing things, deleting pieces and writing entirely new ones, and even still I'm not totally satisfied with it. But that explains why it took longer, that and it's about 1,000 words longer than most of the other chapters._

_Anyway, please review! I want to know what you think! Is there something you want to see happen? Let me know! I want to hear your ideas!_


	20. To Belong To Us

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own Myra.**

* * *

_You have nothing to be afraid of. It's just Ryou._ The thought didn't have the calming affect that it normally would have. Before, the thought of being around her gentle friend was something that she looked forward to. Now, though, it sent odd little butterflies fluttering through her stomach. With a sigh, she lifted her backpack and swung it onto her shoulders.

He had promised that he would come, at her request. It would be rather childish of her to skip school after asking that of him. Still, she was finding it increasingly difficult to motivate herself to leave her apartment.

Would he be waiting for her?

Half of her hoped so, and the other half of her wanted the time to herself that the walk to school would provide.

She opened the door and peered down the hall. There was no sign of Ryou. Perhaps he had left ahead of her. Letting out a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding, she stepped into the hall, locking and shutting her front door behind her. As she stepped outside and left the warmth of the lobby area she glanced around again. No white mane of hair and gentle voice to greet her. She was almost disappointed.

She looked up, taking in the sight of the gray clouds that moved across the sky to block the Sun. The weather was going to be getting colder soon, and she wished that they were allowed to wear more sensible clothes to school, rather than the blouse and short skirt that was the mandatory uniform.

Without warning, something warm was draped across her shoulders, and hands settled themselves there as well. "Are you cold?" a familiar voice whispered against her ear, their hot breath sending shivers racing down her spine.

"Yes. Thank you, Ryou," she answered, turning to face the owner of the voice. His hands shifted as she turned so that they remained resting on her shoulders. He had given her his jacket, she noticed. He wore a simple white t-shirt underneath that left his arms bare to her eyes.

He smiled in return, his hands moving slowly up and down her arms in an attempt to warm her. His jacket smelled like him, a unique mixture of cinnamon and black tea. She had to admit, even if it was just to herself, that she rather enjoyed wearing his clothes, especially when they were warm from his body heat and still carried his scent.

But where had he come from? She was sure she would have seen him had he been anywhere nearby. Then again, she had only been looking in _front_ of her. Not behind. She cast a glance to the entryway doors. It was likely that he has been standing just off to the side of one.

_Had_ he been waiting for her?

"Won't you be cold?" she asked, both out of concern for her pale friend as well as wanting a distraction from her thoughts, though she unconsciously gripped his jacket closer to ward of the chill of the early morning.

He shook his head as he released his grip on her shoulders. "I'll be fine. Walk with me?" He offered his arm. She linked her arm with his without hesitation. She briefly wondered when physical contact had become so easy between the two of them. She remembered when they had first begun their acquaintance that even the most innocent of touches had seemed awkward and forced.

Ryou set a leisurely pace, leading the way and a content smile on his face. Myra found herself relaxing rather easily into the companionable silence. So it rather took her by surprise when Ryou spoke.

"I'm surprised you came this morning. I was expecting you to be a no-show," he said casually, as if they were merely discussing a mundane subject like homework or the weather. She winced. He could see right through her. She had no response.

"Do you regret it?" he asked. There was only one thing that he could possibly be referring to. He shot a sideways glance at her, wanting to see her expression when she answered.

"Do you?" she countered. As she recalled, she had been the one to confess her feelings to him, though she never remembered receiving a real answer from him. _Did_ he feel the same?

"No," he answered softly. He dropped his arm further down, lacing his fingers through hers. The action had caught her off guard, though she wouldn't have resisted even if he had asked. His hand squeezed hers lightly. "Not at all," he said so quietly that she almost hadn't heard him over the din of vehicle traffic passing them by.

Ryou observed his companion carefully, watching as various emotions flickered across her face, and he could only remain silent and allow her the time to think his answer over.

_Why not just _take_ what you want?_

The question came from no where. He hadn't thought that Bakura had been paying much attention to this particular conversation. _Because I'm not like you._

_ Ah, and that is why, my little Light, you are so weak. You are so afraid of what others will think of you that you refuse to give in to your own desires._

He hated how his darker half could see right through him, finding his weaknesses and shoving them in his face. But perhaps he was right.

"Myra," he said, coming to a halt just across the street from the school. "Would you indulge me something?" he asked almost casually.

"Huh? Sure, what do you have in mind?" Myra questioned, wondering why he had stopped just short of their destination. She knew Ryou didn't like to be late for school, and she didn't exactly want another detention either.

He gripped her hand tighter, and then without warning turned away from Domino High and began in the other direction. Myra sputtered questions and protests as he led her along, but he paid no mind to them for now. He would answer all of her questions in time.

* * *

By the time they came to a stop, Myra was out of breath and wishing she had participated more in gym class. Her face was flushed and despite the chill in the air she was sweating lightly from the exertion. She glanced around, finally taking note of her surroundings. Ryou had brought her to a place she hadn't been to before.

They were in the city park but that was the extent of what she knew as to their location. All around them were trees, and she figured that they must be pretty deep into them, considering she could just barely hear the sounds of the park beyond. The sun filtered through the canopy of trees, leaving patches of light on the ground and the rest cloaked in cool shadows.

"Ryou, what's going on?" she asked wearily, watching her snowy-haired friend carefully. He still stood at her side, their hands still linked, neither one of them wanting to be the one to let go.

He didn't answer her. Instead he said, "Do you remember what you said to me last night?"

Slightly caught off guard, Myra answered, "I said a lot of things last night. Which one do you mean?"

He turned to face her, his expression strangely serious as he regarded her. "About your feelings for me." The blush that warmed her cheeks as she looked away from him he could only describe as charming. She nodded mutely. He reached out with his free hand, gripping her chin lightly and turning her face to him, leaving her no choice but to meet his gaze. "What would you say if I told you that I also have those feelings for you?" he ventured.

Her eyes widened to an almost comical size. "You do?"

He nodded. "So, you know now why I acted the way I did," he explained. He still held her face in his hand, refusing to allow her to look away. "So I ask again; do you regret it?"

He watched her carefully, his chocolate eyes searching her jade ones for any hint of an answer. Normally this wasn't something he would do, but Bakura's words had stirred something in him, and he had felt this sudden _need_ to do this, to prove Bakura wrong.

"No," she whispered, and he had the feeling that she was just realizing the truth of her answer for herself, judging by the dazed expression on her face.

He smiled softly, bringing his face close to hers he said, "Good." His lips found hers, cutting off any response she may have had. He was tender and took care not to make her feel trapped, despite his hold on her face. His lips were petal soft against hers and she could taste mint on his breath.

She was tense for only mere seconds before she felt her body relax in his hold, and her eyes drifted shut. His hand loosed itself from hers before finding its way to her waist and settling there, allowing him to pull her closer until their chests lightly touched.

She gasped against him, unintentionally giving him complete access to her mouth. Without her really noticing, her hands moved, one coming to rest against his chest while the other snaked up to his neck and she began to lightly thread her fingers through his silky white mane.

Ryou dragged his tongue along her lower lip, but otherwise let the opportunity pass by. He wouldn't take advantage of her. Even though the slight pressure of her breasts pressed against his chest was tantalizing and teased his senses mercilessly, he wouldn't push the limits, especially when said limits hadn't been established yet.

The lightest of moans escaped his lips at the sweet taste of her, and it took a great deal of effort for him to pull himself away. He lightly rested his forehead against hers, watching as she opened hazy eyes to regard him curiously. Their breath mingled as a result of their labored breathing.

"Myra," he cooed softly when she seemed a bit more focused. "What do you say to being mine?"

_Ours,_ Bakura corrected with dark humor lacing is tone. _What's yours is mine, my little Light._

"Yours?" she repeated, as if she couldn't quite believe the words she was hearing. "Like your girlfriend?"

He flashed her a fond smile. "Not _like_ my girlfriend," he answered seriously. He wanted this, and he could only hope that he hadn't made a grave mistake in asking her to be his.

"I...I would like that," she answered shyly. She had never had a boyfriend before, so the entire situation was new and awkward for her. In fact, if you didn't count the two kisses that Bakura had stolen and the attack from Bradley, Ryou had been her first and second real kiss.

It's not that she had never been asked out, it was that she had turned down the small handful of boys that had asked, mostly because she had known them since childhood and thought of them more as brothers or cousins than potential boyfriends.

She briefly wondered if she had been Ryou's first as well, but she would save that question for another time.

A dark blush covered the faces of both teens, though Ryou's paler skin made his stand out much more. He shot her a dazzling smile, joy and relief all coursing through him at once. It was almost too much to handle.

"I would like that, too," he said, managing not to stumble over his words and make a fool of himself. He was just glad she had agreed to become his.

_She is ours,_ Bakura reminded him. _Really now, Ryou, you shouldn't be so greedy. You must learn to share,_ the spirit taunted.

He frowned for just the briefest of seconds, but then quickly schooled his features, not wanting Myra to see and misinterpret the meaning behind it. He released her, then laced his fingers with hers again and led her out of the trees, revealing that he had taken her to the farthest corner of the park and into the trees that were its perimeter. No wonder she had been so winded,

"How about we go somewhere fun?" he suggested lightly.

"Shouldn't we go back to school?"

He shook his head. "We will get in more trouble for showing up late than not showing up at all," he said. "I mean, I don't _like_ missing school, but sometimes it happens because...well, you know." He was reluctant to say the spirit's name, for fear that it would draw his attention. "As long as you make up the work then your grades won't suffer."

She groaned. "I hate extra work."

"Don't worry, I'll help you with it. You don't have to worry."

"But...won't the others notice that both of us are gone? What if...," she let the question hang, wondering if he would catch her meaning. She took the light flushing of his cheeks to mean that he did.

"Well, yes, there is that...but I'm sure it will be fine," he said with a smile. He continued to lead her along until they reached the downtown area before coming to a stop amid all the shops. They made their way casually from store to store, starting at the bookstore, and then on to one of the gameshops before making their way to the arcade and then the mall. Overall, her day out with Ryou had been incredibly enjoyable, and she didn't regret missing school in order to be able to do it.

It wasn't until they were seated comfortably in the food court and snacking on some pizza that they were finally discovered.

"Well, look at what we have here," a familiar voice called from behind them. Myra glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Yugi's unique hair before and arm was suddenly slung around her shoulder. "Is this where you've been hiding out all day?" Joey's voice asked from much nearer than it had been before.

She shot him a sideways glance, not missing the mischievous smirk that pulled at his lips as he took in the sight of the two of them seated together so casually.

_He is _touching_ her,_ the spirit growled in Ryou's mind at the sight of the blonde boy with his arm draped over Myra so familiarly.

_And?_

_ He is touching what is _ours, he growled in return. _And unless you want that boy to end up with a broken arm then you best _do _something about it, Hikari. _The threat was clear. He knew the spirit to be possessive of _anything_ that he considered his, whether it be material possessions or people, and he sometimes even displayed it over Ryou as well, though neither of them would admit to it.

Luckily, he was spared the awkwardness of having to ask Joey to remove his arm. Joey shifted quickly, moving from behind Myra to the empty seat beside her, both of his elbows resting atop the table. Mirroring his actions, Yugi took the empty seat beside Ryou, shooting him a friendly smile as he did so.

"I have the work that you both missed," Yugi said as he rummaged around in his backpack before pulling out a stack of papers and handing them to Ryou and Myra.

"Thank you," both teens murmured in appreciation.

Ryou glanced at Yugi beside him, and then across the table to Joey, noticing that both boys sported rather knowing looks and a mischievous glint in their eyes. Sometimes he thought that the pair always seemed to know a little too much, that they were too perceptive for their own good. Still, he was thankful.

"So," Joey started, his eyes flicking from Myra to Ryou and then back again. "Why were you two skipping school together here of all places? I mean, you couldn't have found someplace less public to go romancing?" He was blunt and to the point, as always.

"Joey!" Yugi said with a laugh, lifting a hand to politely cover his mouth as he laughed lightly at his friend's question. He hadn't thought that he would be _that_ direct about it.

As it was, both Myra and Ryou were blushing furiously, and just as Ryou opened his mouth to offer a stammered explanation, Joey cut him off. "Don't even bother denying it. Hey, I may not be the brightest bulb of the bunch, but I ain't stupid," he said with a grin. "I've seen all the looks that you guys give each other when you think no one is looking, especially each other."

"You have?" Ryou asked with surprise. He had noticed that Joey had insinuated that he had caught _both_ of them doing it, not strictly him. And even though just hours ago in a secluded part of the park the girl across from him had agreed to being his, he was still just having a hard time believing that he wasn't the only one that harbored such feelings.

"We both have," Yugi admitted shyly. "So I figured that after you left class the other day to go see Ryou," Yugi said as he gave Myra a meaningful stare, because they both knew that she hadn't gone to see _only _Ryou, "and you never came back, and then you both happened to be absent today, that you must be skipping together," he explained. "So Joey and I went to your classes and collected the work you had both missed so we could give it to you." He scratched the back of his head and grinned nervously. "Actually, we didn't expect to run into you here. We were going to grab some food and then drop all the work off at Ryou's apartment."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Myra said with an smile, and Ryou nodded his agreement.

"So," Joey started, quickly growing bored of the subject of schoolwork. "Does that mean you two have made things official?" he asked, elbowing Myra lightly in the side as he watched her flush anew. "I assume that would be the case by now, right? I mean, what other reason do you have for sneaking like that?" He made no effort to hide his grin.

"Ah, well, about that," Myra started nervously. She glanced to Ryou, silently asking if he would be alright with her telling Yugi and Joey. After all, they had not discussed _when_ they would tell their friends of their new found relationship. They had merely enjoyed their time together while it had lasted.

Ryou gave her a slight nod in answer, though he stayed silent.

_She is ours. You must make_ _that claim clear to everyone. _Bakura's voice echoed in his head, and Ryou couldn't mask the grimace that marred his features at the spirit's words.

"Everything alright?" Myra's soft voice floated to him as she cast him a worried glance. She hadn't found Joey's question particularly disturbing, and she didn't think that Ryou had either, which meant that the change in his features had been from something internal, something only he could hear.

"Yes," he replied, answering both Joey and Myra's questions simultaneously. "Yes, we have," Ryou said again, plastering a smile to his face simply for Myra's benefit, though it did help to try and be as convincing as possible before the other two boys. After all, they did know about his darker half, and they knew all to well what the spirit was capable of. In fact, he had no doubt that if either of the other two males believed that his Yami was harming their friend, they would act. Joey's retaliation would be in a physical form, and as for Yugi, well, he had no doubt that the spirit of the nameless pharaoh that resided in his Millennium Puzzle would likely find some way to temporarily subdue Bakura.

And that was just it. His subjugation would only be temporary, and when he returned he would only be that mush more spiteful.

"Good to hear!" The sound of Joey's voice interrupted his internal musings. "Well, now that that's settled, Yugi and I were thinking of hitting up the arcade. You guys wanna come?" the blonde asked as Yugi nodded in agreement.

"Actually," Myra started, "I should probably get home and start working on this make-up work," she said with a sigh. "My mom will kill me if I get into any more trouble at school. She works hard enough as it is, I don't need her to be worrying about my academic performance on top of all that."

"No problem. Maybe next time, then," Joey said as he and his smaller companion rose from their seats and bid the two farewell, smiles and promises of 'next time' being exchanged.

It wasn't long after that that the couple found themselves back at their apartment complex, debating whose apartment would be the better place to do their homework. Eventually, it was decided that they would go to Myra's, as she had been over to Ryou's plenty of times in the past, and Ryou had only been to hers once.

She unlocked the door, ushering him in before shutting it behind them and throwing the lock home and removing her shoes as Ryou mimicked her actions. The coffee table in the living room was cluttered with what she assumed was paperwork from one of her mother's jobs, and not wanting to disturb it, Myra led her, she blushed just thinking about it, _boyfriend_ into her room, which was surprisingly clean compared to normal.

The pair cross-legged upon her bed, textbooks and handout sheets from school splayed out before them just waiting to be completed. However, it was then that her subconscious decided to point out one tiny detail that she hadn't thought much of earlier.

They were alone.

* * *

_Authour's Note: There you go, Chapter 20! Sorry it took a little longer than the last couple updates. October is a really busy month for me at one of my jobs, so it's tricky to find time to write, let alone time for anything but sleep (which is what I should be doing now).  
_

_I'm kind of disappointed. In the last chapter they **finally** kiss and admit their feelings, (which means that here pretty soon this story is going to be getting into its 'M' rating) and it only got one review =( I need feedback from you! What did you like and dislike about it? I feel like maybe it was disappointing for you guys or I let you guys down and that is why you had no opinion on it._

_Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! _

_Oh! And I believe that the first person to review this chapter will be number 100 for this story! Yay! I feel like I should give them a prize or something. You know, like sometimes when you walk in a store and you're the millionth customer or something and you win a shopping spree or whatever. Since I can't physically **give** you guys an object or anything like that, how about who ever is the 100th reviewer can...request me to write a scene in this or I can feature an OC of yours in the story or something like that. I dunno, I will figure it out when that review comes in!  
_


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